Jane Potter's Tale
by SamHobbit
Summary: James Potter had a sister, his twin- Jane. This is their story. Please Rate and Review all suggestions will be taken into account. Originally being beta-ed by zeelia, but now all thanks to RandomBoringStuff.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The Potter children rushed to the window and let the pecking owl that was there announcing his arrival, ever since Monday they had been expecting each day to be the day that they would be receiving their letters. James Potter was a thinner boy, his round glasses often slid down his nose and his dark hair often got into his hazel eyes. He ripped the window open and let the old barn owl inside. Jane Potter, his twin sister, had the same hazel eyes and bangs that often got in the way. Her hair was long and pulled up on the side in a ribbon that was bewitched to re-tie it's self every time it fell undone—which was very often. The twins' bodies were built virtually the same, though as they grew older Jane's revealed her to be more feminine than James. She eagerly took the letter from the owl and ripped it open, not bothering to read who the Hogwarts letter was to. They assumed the others' was on the way or, in an effort to save time; they would only receive the one letter for the two of them.

"HOGWARTS SCHOOL _of _WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY: Headmaster—" Jane read from the parchment. James, never the patient Potter, ripped the parchment from her hand.

"Albus, blah de blah, brag, A ha! Dear _Mr. Potter, _We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed—" James read, his smile growing bigger and more conceited.

"Oh, shut up James!" Jane scoffed as another owl landed where the previous owl was. This one was cleaner and didn't look native. Jane took the letter, confused as the smell of some strong flower hit her nose. She opened it, coughing with James when a fresh wave hit them. "Cough, Dear Miss Potter, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at _Beauxbatons_! _James_! I'm not going to Hogwarts! Mum!" She shrieked running to find their mother. James ran, close at her heels. The two skidded to a stop in the kitchen where their mother was cutting up a tomato as part of their lunch. Her dark grey hair was pulled sophisticatedly into its typical bun. One of their house elves smiled, bowing its head to the children as it tended to the fire. "_Mum!_" Jane screeched again.

"Don't shout dear. Alice? Would you go check on the children's rooms?" She smiled, never stopping her work on the tomato. She enjoyed doing simple tasks without magic; it reminded her she still had purpose in her family's life.

The House Elf, Alice, nodded, bowing to Mrs. Dora Potter. "Of course, Mistress." Alice bowed to Jane and James once more adding a quick _little_ _Master, little Mistress_ to them, before heading to do her assignment upstairs.

"Beauxbatons? Mum, you can't do this to me! Dad said that our names have been on the list for Hogwarts since we were born!" Jane raged.

"And they have been, but as of late, Jane Marie, you've been acting more like your brother than you are a lady. I've tried everything I can think of on my own to teach you how to behave. Madame Maxime was thrilled when I sent my request for you. She struggled to find a place for you. You will go and you'll learn what being a woman in our family means." Dora explained. Her calm voice struggled with the Black's temper that she had.

Dora Potter was once Dora Black. She was the great aunt—or something—of the Black child they'd briefly met three years ago when he fell through their Floo network in an attempt to escape his mother.

"But _mum_ I'm the _only one_ going. James and RJ are going to Hogwarts. I'll have _no_ friends at Beauxbatons! _None_!" Jane whined.

"Tough." Her mother snapped, slamming the knife onto the cutting board. "You ever think that having the two of them as your only friends is _why_ you have to go Beauxbatons?" She took a few deep breaths before continuing with lunch, never turning around to see how furious she was making her only daughter. "Now wash up—" The sound of the front door slamming closed cut her voice off, for only a moment. "Wash up, James. Lunch will be ready soon."

James nodded; he was always a mummy's boy.

Jane knocked on the Lupin's door, only couple dozen minutes from her own house. A relatively young woman answered, slightly surprised to find Jane on her porch.

"Is RJ here?" She asked, the crumpled letter still in her hand and her eyes burning with the tears she refused to let form.

"Yes, Remus is here. Is something wrong?" She asked, sincerely concerned. Jane was her son's only friend.

"I've been accepted to Beauxbatons." She admitted a few tears slipping out.

"Oh, dear…he's in his room. Down the corridor—" Mrs. Lupin started. Jane smiled slightly.

"And to the left. Right next to the cellar door. I know." She finished, heading for RJ's room. She didn't bother knocking; she'd known Remus J. Lupin since they were both very young. He'd only been bitten a few years before, but the scars were already there and no matter what Jane did he was scared of everyone. Even her at times.

"RJ?" She asked, sitting next to him on the neatly made bed. He looked up from his father's old school book, surprised to see the look in her eyes.

"What's wrong? What's happened?" Remus fretted. He always thought the worst; Jane assumed it was because he was turned so young. He had seen the worst, and was still living with it.

"I'm not going to Hogwarts with you in the fall. I'm going to Beauxbatons." She cried. Remus' book slammed onto the bed and his arms were around her.

"No! You can't! I can't go there by myself. I need you there with me! Your brother'll eat me alive." He hugged her tight. Jane returned it, her face in his neck.

"I don't _want_ to go. My mum thinks it'll turn me into some kind of lady. And James isn't _always_ so bad. As long as his ego's in tact and he doesn't think he has to show off. _You'll_ be fine without me. It's _me_ I'm worried about. I only have you and James here and there I'll have no one."

"Maybe if you show your mum you can act like a lady she'll let you transfer for next term?"

"Wouldn't that just prove that she's right though?"

"Maybe you should let her have this one." Remus shrugged. Jane hugged him. She would miss this.

"Maybe."

Jane returned home that night and there was no more mention of school—and no mention of her outburst or that she hadn't returned in time for lunch. James put on a brave face when the two parted as he boarded the Hogwarts Express. They promised to owl the other everyday—though they both knew the other was lying. They knew they would see each other again at Christmas and would be able to try to out brag the other.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was the Holidays when James and Jane talked again. Their parents had let them use a family friend's Floo to come home—their trains were hours apart. Jane grunted lightly as the fire disappeared and she stepped out of the fireplace, her trunk behind her. James beamed as he saw his twin sister.

"Janey!" He shouted running to her. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, almost knocking her over. She laughed.

"Hey Jamesy." She smiled, playing with their mother's pet names for them.

"So you remember that kid that fell on you when we had to clean the fireplace a few years ago? His name's Sirius Black. He's in Gryffindor with me. We're gonna be best mates. I can tell. He loves quidditch and pranks. He's a great prankster. You'll have to meet him sometime. Maybe this summer, you think mum'll let him come over again? I'm sure she would, I mean, he's great. 'Sides we're related to the Blacks, he could be our cousin, like, four times removed. Oh! There's this ratty looking kid, Peter, he _worships_ me and Sirius. No lying. He's a pretty good friend though; he took the rap for some of our pranks without us even _asking_ him to! OH! I met that RJ friend of yours. He's pretty cool. Bloody brilliant, too. I think he's sick though. He's always looking really warn out and there's some times when he can't even get out of _bed_. I keep telling him to go see Madam Pomfrey, but _no_. He keeps telling me that he just needs to sleep. Sirius and I give him the chocolate the girls keep giving us. Don't know why they think we'll hang out with them if they give us stuff, but it helps Remus so it's not so bad." James rambled, running his hand in his hair the way he did when he thought it would make him seem cooler. Jane laughed.

"Sounds like you had fun James. Where are mum and dad?" She smiled, handing her trunk over to Alice who took it away.

"Dad's finishing up at work and mum's finishing up Christmas shopping." James explained. "They'll be home soon. Want to play some-- What are you _wearing_?" He announced disgusted. Jane laughed.

"It called a dress James." Jane rolled her eyes. She was wearing a knee length short sleeved dark blue dress.

"I know what it's _called_. Evans wears 'em all the time. Why are _you_ wearing it?"

"I felt like it. It's not a crime, James." She scoffed. He leaned close to her, examining her face. She stared back annoyed. "I'm wearing _makeup_, James. Doesn't _Evans_ wear it?" She could tell her brother noticed a lot about this Evans girl.

"No, she doesn't." He made it sound like Jane was doing something wrong by wearing it when his fellow Gryffindor didn't. "You ever gonna wear pants again? I was hoping we could get Remus and Sirius to come over Saturday after Christmas and play quidditch."

"I do still own pants if _that's_ what you're implying." She rolled her eyes. He was getting _really_ annoying. "Gosh James, I _am_ a girl you know. I _can_ wear things other than jeans and quidditch shirts all the time."

"Blimey Jane, I know you're a girl. You're my _sister_. I just didn't know you were a bitch too." He snapped, heading to his room.

"Watch your _mouth_!" Jane shouted after him.

"Stop sounding like Evans!" He shot back before slamming his bedroom door. Jane sighed, before leaving a note on the scratch parchment by the door.

_At RJ's, I'll owl if I won't be at dinner_ was scrawled in light loops. She brushed off her cloak, putting it on as she left.

"Remus back yet?" Jane asked, smiling as Mr. Lupin opened the door. Mr. Lupin stared at her for a moment before nodding. He stepped aside to let her in. Jane smiled, going inside. "Thanks." She walked down and into his open room.

Any trace of Beauxbatons lady like behavior was gone. "RJ!" She ran and hugged him tightly, knocking him onto his back on his constantly made bed. Remus laughed. His parents always smiled when they heard him laugh like this.

"Hey." He hugged her tight. "You survived!"

"Yup, but barely. They don't have _Quidditch_!"

"How'd you live?" Remus teased.

She shoved him lightly. "Shut it." She laughed.

The two spent the afternoon catching back up on what they had missed with the other. Jane deeply wished she could go back to Hogwarts with them.

"So, who's Evans?" Jane smoothed out her skirt.

"Lily Evans. She's a first year in Gryffindor like us. James and Sirius like picking on her. I think she's pretty cool though. We're charms partners. We were gonna be Potions partners too but her best mate has class with us then." Remus explained. Jane laughed.

"So, in other words James and Sirius like her."

"They don't. I asked."

"Of course they won't admit it. You're eleven year old boys. You still tell each other that girls are gross even though you like it when they're around."

"We do not."

"Whatever." She laughed, kissing his head. "I should head back, James' is back home by himself."

"Ok." Remus smiled slightly, hugging her tightly.

She returned to Potter Manor, surprised to find that her mother and father were still gone. She stole an apple from the kitchen and made her way up stairs to her brother's room.

"Knock first, pest." Jane heard a voice shout. She watched as Alice scurried out of James' room, bowing her head at Jane as she went to do her work. Angry she threw James' door open.

"Be nice to Alice." James said, inattentively. Jane stared at the long and thin boy that sat with his legs stretched out on his friend's bed. His hair was shaggy like James' but much darker and was longer—covering his ears even. He looked up at her, a crooked smile lighting up his pale face.

"Hey, birdy." He said, looking her over. Jane folded her arms, return his gaze with a firm and haughty glare.

"That's my sister, Jane. She goes to Beauxbatons. Janey, this is Sirius." James explained, playing with their snitch.

"Hi." She said flatly. She couldn't believe she'd ever thought this boy used to be attractive. He was a git.

"I don't think, the bird likes me too much." Sirius laughed grabbing the snitch from James' reach.

"The name's _Jane_, prick." She snapped grabbing the snitch from Sirius before she turned on her heel, flipping her hair over her shoulder, and slamming James' door behind her. "I'm going to see dad!" She shouted.

James flinched as his door slammed shut, wincing. "At least she's back to normal." James laughed lightly.

"She's always like that?" Sirius asked, studying the ceiling.

"Yup. Mouth like a sailor." James laughed, tossing Sirius his potions book back. They'd told his parents that the two were going to work on their homework, but so far only James was the one getting any work done. "Just, do me a favor mate? Stop trying to flirt with her. She is my sister. Off limits and all."

"Yeah. Off limits." Sirius mumbled.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

With Sirius Black around Jane found it harder than she'd thought to prove to her mother that she was "lady-like", especially since he kept smiling at her across the table every morning. Their parents, namely their mother, had felt it'd be nice to let James' "best mate" spend long stretches of the summer with them, especially when they found out who his mother was. Dora hadn't ever been a big fan of [mum]'s, though they didn't seem to oppose their son's friendship with a pureblood, given his choice of friends in his house at Hogwarts. Jane spent most of her time either with RJ or reading under one of their back yard trees. This was where Sirius found her the summer before their second years.

"Hey pretty bird." Sirius called to her, his crooked grin plastered across his face.

"Just ignore him. Just ignore him." Jane mumbled to herself, adjusting her pant leg. Sirius sat next to her, his eyes looking her over again. That was what annoyed her more than his name calling. It was like he felt he was entitled to look at her like she was some toy. "What?" She snapped, scooting away from him.

"Can't I just say 'hi'?" He laughed, still smiling at her. Slowly everything about him was growing more annoying.

"You did. Now go away." She strained to keep her calm. He was _really_ annoying.

"Oh, come on Jane, I'm your brother's best mate. Can't we be _friends_ too?" He leaned closer to her.

"I know what kind of _friend_ you're looking for Black. And you're not going to find it with me. Now leave me alone." She snapped, whipping her head to face him. She jerked back slightly when she realized how close they were.

"Come on, pretty bird." He whispered before kissing her. Jane shoved him back, grabbing her book and getting to her feet.

"Git! What do you think you're doing? Didn't I just tell you 'no'? Let me reiterate! No!" She screamed at him. Sirius got to his feet, confused.

"Jane--" He stared, moving to her. Jane thought for only one second of the lady like thing to do—walk away—but her Black temper was too riled for that to truly be an option. She punched him, knocking his nose up. She thought she heard a crack before he backed up, his hands covering it and muffling his curses. She smiled a little when she saw the tears.

"I said no." She smirked flipping her hair at him as she made her way back to the house. Sirius glared, watching her walk away. She knew she'd be in trouble when her mum saw what she'd done. Jane thought to make the best of it. She went straight for the upstairs closet, stealing the scissors from there before going to her room. The door slammed behind her.

There she remained until her mother shrieked at her just before lunch. Jane plastered a defiant smirk on her face as she walked down the stairs.

"Yes, Mum?" She said her voice calm and collected, now. Dora shrieked again as she studied her daughter. Jane's long hair was gone now, a short windswept bob was now in its place and her fitting bellbottoms were cut up in various places above the largest rip at her knees. Jane smiled at the shocked Sirius and James at the kitchen table. "Is everything ok?" Jane went on as she sat across from the boys at the table.

"You missy. Are _grounded_. No quidditch for the rest of the summer! No leaving the house! No going _anywhere_ outside of Potter Manor! Do you hear me?" Dora shrieked, causing Alice to jump and glance at her while she was handing out the children's plates.

"Alright." Jane said calmly, smiling to Alice.

"You _broke it_ you realize that right?" Dora went on shrieking. Jane rolled her eyes, and her _mother_ had always told _her_ that the act wasn't lady like. "Why? What in Merlin's name would cause you to do that?"

Sirius shifted in his seat as Jane eyed him, "I felt like it. You've said it yourself mum. I'm a bloody screw up. It's what I do." Jane took her sandwich from Alice and went back to her room, ignoring her mother's, now rant, at her daughter's language.

"Merlin's beard…" James whispered to Sirius, silencing when his mother's glare was turned onto him.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Jane Potter spent the next year still at Beauxbatons, never thinking of Hogwarts until she returned home that summer—choosing for once to stay at school for Christmas Holiday. James wasn't too happy with this, since Albus Dumbledore and Alaster Moody were coming for Christmas Dinner as they had been doing every third year since the Dora and Charlus were married. Jane easily was allowed attendance to Hogwarts with Sirius at his family's homes all summer. Her hair had grown out some, but not much with the layers Jane had added, but it still brushed her shoulders. She looked like someone off of a Muggle television show, the one where they fight crime for some a Charlie figure.

Once they boarded the train, Jane clung to RJ's hand. She wasn't too sure of herself with this many strangers. James and Sirius found a compartment that a group of first years had been using, but once the two of them showed up they suddenly decided to sit with someone else and ran out. Jane opened a compartment door hesitantly to find a boy and girl playing a Muggle card game. The girl, a red head whose hair was brighter than Jane thought natural hair could be, turned and smiled at them.

"Hey Remus!" She beamed her bright green eyes even brighter. The boy, who looked like he could be even paler than Sirius Black, mumbled a hello before he turned his head to almost hide—it looked like—behind his slick hair.

"Hey, Lily. Severus. Can Jane and I sit in here with you? Everywhere else seems full up." Remus explained. Jane looked from RJ to the red head. So she was Lily Evans. She didn't seem any different than any of the other kids they'd past on their way in.

"Sure. It's nice to meet you Jane, I'm Lily Evans. This is Severus Snape." Lily smiled, setting her book to the side.

"Hi. Jane Potter. I'm um…a transfer. From Beauxbatons. It's a long story." Jane smiled, waving weakly. She sat in the seat across from Lily and Severus, hugging RJ's arm tightly.

"Potter?" Severus lowered his eyes.

"James' sister. They're--" RJ started to explain before the compartment door flung open and Sirius and James popped in, dung bombs in hand.

"Hey, Janey!" James called, raising his dung bomb.

"Pretty birdie!" Sirius winked, his arm poised.

"And Snivy!" They smiled wickedly. "Here!" They shouted, flinging the dung bombs at Severus before running back out. Their laughs echoed down the corridors behind them.

Lily glared, reaching for her wand. Jane was faster. She waved her wand easily and opened the door, tossing the dung bombs out. Severus and Lily stared at her, jumping slightly as the door shut.

"Nice, Janey." RJ praised her as she put her wand back inside her vest.

"Thanks RJ." She smiled, cuddling closer to him.

"How?" Severus asked, his hand falling from his nose.

"A simple levitation spell can take care of a lot of things." Jane laughed nervously. "So, James does that a lot?"

Severus nodded, turning his attention out the car window. Lily put her arm around his shoulders, giving him a side hug. She turned to Jane,

"James Potter and Sirius Black are foul loathsome gits. They're no better than Muggle bullies, but of course no one would say that of them because they play _quidditch_." She rolled her eyes, obviously not impressed by the sport. "Severus has _never_ done a _thing_ to them and yet they _live_ for every chance to--"

"You don't like quidditch?" Jane asked shocked.

"_That's_ what you got from that?" Lily snapped. The two shared a moment of staring before Lily sighed, "I don't _hate_ quidditch I just…don't see the allure. Severus is a half-blood and I'm a Muggle-born, we didn't grow up around quidditch. I didn't really grow up a big fan of many sports, actually."

Jane smiled, "Don't worry. I'll keep him in line."

"For all of our sakes, I hope so." Severus grumbled.

The rest of the train ride to Hogwarts was very uneventful. Jane and RJ rode up to the castle with Lily and a fellow Gryffindor of her and RJ, Frank Longbottom. He was fairly quiet, but they never seemed to forget he was there—which was good because when asked he always had something to say. Severus was going to ride up with them, but two girls Jane recognized briefly, from the rare times her mother's family spent time at Potter manor, as Narcissa and Belatrix Black grabbed his arms and pulled him with them to their own carriage.

Jane took a deep breath as she started up the steps that led inside the large castle. She reached the top, stopping short at the site of her brother's godfather.

"Albus?" Jane smiled, "Sorry, _Headmaster_." Their mother had already warned them not to be informal with him while there were other students around, but Albus just laughed.

"Old habits die hard I'm afraid, Janey." He smiled, holding his arms open to her. Jane beamed and for the first time since she'd left the platform she let go of RJ's hand, and ran to her family's oldest friend. She wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his nearly white grey hair. He laughed again as his hands wrapped around her, squeezing her in the way only someone you've known since birth could. His eyes twinkled down at her as they broke apart. "Come with me?"

"I have to go to the feast and get sorted, don't I?" Jane looked from RJ and the crowd that was pushing their way around him and back to Albus.

"That's what we're going to do first. You've transferred here, Janey, I'm afraid everyone already knows you no matter what house you get placed in. Now, come along." He took her hand and led her inside. Jane glanced back at RJ, waving goodbye.

They reached his office shortly, after a few short cuts behind paintings and gargoyles. Jane made a point to remember this; she had a feeling she would be asked to come see Albus regularly.

"Peppermint Pixies." Albus spoke to open the passage. "Come on Janey, no dawdling." They moved inside and to his office, hearing Fawkes' squawking before seeing him.

"Fawkes!" Jane cheered, rushing to the, now, young phoenix. "I haven't seen you since the Christmas we gave you to Albus." She smiled, scratching his soft feathered head.

"Jane?" Albus spoke now, more serious than before. Jane turned to see the old hat her parents had always told her and James about in his hand. She patted Fawkes's head and sat down, closing her eyes and waiting for the moment she felt the hat touch her head. She had barely felt it touch her hair when it began speaking to her, causing Albus to drop the hat onto her head fully.

"A complex mind." The hat started, "hmm…a tough decision. The brains are there, that is for sure. Far more than any other Ravenclaw. Loyal as a dog, a true Hufflepuff. Ambitious and stubborn to finish what she starts. Slytherin's would love you. Oh, but so brave. And you do tend to jump and then look, don't you? _Very_ Gryffindor. Where to place you? Where to place you? Hmmm…" The hat thought hard and long.

"My --" Jane began to think before the hat cut her off.

"Family! The most important thing to you!" He said before crying out for Albus "GRYFINDOR!"

Albus clapped, "Brilliant." He smiled, taking the hat off and handing it over to McGonagall who was waiting at the door patiently. The two shared a smiled before Albus stepped aside for McGonagall to get a better look at Jane.

"Jane Potter. Welcome to Gryffindor, we're proud to have you here with us." She said in what Jane assumed was her politely nice voice.

"Thanks." Jane laughed.

"Well come along, the other students are waiting for us to start up." Albus ushered the two women out, shutting the door behind him on Fawkes' squawking.

Jane followed Albus to the Great Hall, beaming when she saw the empty seat next to RJ. She left Albus' side, bolting for her best mate.

"RJ!" She cried running to him. He looked, smiling and laughing unlike anything of his housemates had ever seen him do. She hugged him tightly, her arm still around him as she sat down.

"Hey Janey." James smiled, holding out his hand. Jane smiled, and slapped it with her free hand.

"Welcome Pretty Bird." Sirius smiled, turning away from the Hufflepuff he was flirting with. He leaned his elbows on the table, resting his head on his hands. "You've grown up nicely, you know that? I like the hair by the way, it looks nice on you. Could do with having it a bit longer, but it's a good start." He said flashing her one of his typically knee melting smiles.

"It's a good thing I don't cut it for you then, now isn't it?" Jane snapped as a blond girl who looked like she was in need of new school robes as her current ones clung to her. Jane guessed that most of the girl's clothes did that, on purpose.

"Hey, pookie." She smiled, wrapping her arms around Sirius' neck, kissing his cheek. She left one around his shoulder as she waved her hand for the boy next to Sirius to scoot over. Jane guessed that he must be Peter; by the way he seemed so eager to accommodate them. The girl sat next to Sirius, her hand resting under the table. Jane rolled her eyes at them. "Oh! You must be the new girl! I'm Cynthia Belington. It looks like you've already met my pookie-bear." Cynthia smiled, cuddling up to Sirius who wrapped an arm around her, but seemed focused on his conversation with James. Cynthia cleared her throat unattractively, getting Sirius' attention. She flipped her hair over her shoulder, it reached around the middle of her back. "Kiss pookie." She ordered, giving him an obvious pout. Sirius smiled and obeyed, kissing her. And kissing her. And kissing her.

"Ok, I think we get it eels." Jane mumbled as she turned to RJ. RJ smiled at her nickname for them. "So, what class did you add this year RJ?"

"Arithmacy. Lily and I are gonna be study partners." He smiled.

"Well _Sirius_ and _I_ are taking Divinations. I mean hello, a class were you _get_ to drink tea? How am I supposed to pass that up?" James laughed, slapping Sirius' head. "Eels! Cool it, the firsties are coming in."

Jane swore she saw Sirius blush as he and Cynthia broke apart and they, like the rest of the room, turned to pay attention to the new students that were filing in. Cynthia ran her hand in Sirius' hair; apparently she wasn't one for meeting new people. Jane smiled as she saw the same nervous looks on a number of the first year's faces that she'd felt herself on the train—and up until the moment she'd hugged Albus.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Sirius laughed, pulling Cynthia closer to him—though Jane didn't think that was possible—as James flicked parchment at the gaggle of first year girls staring at them. RJ kept his head down, his eyes focused on his book. Peter shifted his eyes from James to Sirius to Jane, lingering them on her longer than she thought was necessary.

"James, be nice." Jane scoffed as she moved RJ's arms up so that she could lay her head in his lap. RJ didn't seem to mind, though Sirius and Peter seemed to find it the most fascinating thing they'd ever seen. It took James and Cynthia to draw them back to reality. James turned his parchment flicking on Peter and it took Cynthia flicking Sirius' nose like he was some pet that was misbehaving to get his attention.

Sirius smiled the dopy smile he always seemed to give the girls he was around, and kissed Cynthia. Jane rolled her eyes, picking at RJ's frayed knees as Cynthia turned to face Sirius, her arms wrapping around his neck. RJ looked up from his book, shooting the couple an upset glare. James laughed, flicking the parchment at the eels.

"Get a room you two." He laughed, leaning back against Peter.

"Ok." Cynthia smirked, tugging Sirius to his feet with her. He laughed, kissing her nose.

"Great idea, Mate." He shouted back to James as Cynthia pulled him up to the boy's dorm.

"Yeah. Great idea." RJ mumbled, closing his book. "Sorry Jane, I should go chase them off my bed." He patted at her shoulder. Jane sat up, watching confused as RJ left.

"Who is she anyway?" Jane crossed her arms, leaning against the chair RJ had been leaning against.

"Cynthia Belington. Sirius' girlfriend." James told her, his head looking around them.

"Lily's in the library." Peter muttered, causing James' face to fall.

"Hey, me." Jane snapped her fingers in front of her brother's face, "I know her name, but _who_ is she? Why does she think she has to be permanently attached to Sirius' face when he's always flirting with girls? He was flirting with _me_ right before he was trying to eat her larynx!"

James smiled cocky, "You like him! Ha! _You_ like _Sirius Black_."

"I don't. He's bloody annoying, but he's even more annoying when he's sucking on her face." Jane snipped.

"Actually, _she_ was sucking on his face first." Peter put in.

"Shut up." The twins snapped. James rolled his eyes,

"Look, they've been dating since second year. Cynthia knows he flirts with all of those girls, but that's just what it is. Flirting. Never anything more. She trusts him. I think she might be falling in love with him, actually. I heard them talking, end of last term. They thought the dorm was asleep, but I wasn't yet. I heard 'em. They were talking about couple stuff. The weather, the summer holiday. You don't know Sirius like I do, he likes Cynthia, but he's not controlled by her."

"I don't care if he bloody wants to marry her, I just want 'em not to be "face-sucking" in the middle of the common room like that." Jane stood up.

"Fexing. You don't want 'em to be fexing. Face hexing." James explained simply, waving his wand to clean up the parchment scraps he'd thrown.

"Face hexing? What's hexing?" Jane regretted asking.

"You know, Sex. Shagging. Hexing." James beamed, dropping the parchment scraps in the fire. The first year girls clapped and cheered as the fire roared. James laughed, winking at them. "We've got our own code." He said, turning back to his sister.

"Whatever, just talk to him. See if _you_ can get him to tone it down a bit." Jane ruffled his hair before heading up to the girl's dorm.

She hadn't really been too anxious about getting a particular bed this year since she didn't know any of the girls. She saw that her trunk had found a home at the foot of the last bed on the end, right by the window. Jane smiled; she loved to read the stars before bed. When it was clear enough she could see for weeks. The Potter's weren't known for having the sight, but both Jane and James had taken after their father. Jane could read the stars as well as palms as if they were that morning's prophet; her tea readings were a bit more limited. James, on the other hand, could merely glance at the leaves and tell if it was good or bad. Their dad had always encouraged him, when he was younger, to read up on what each symbol and sign meant but James had been too lazy and their mother found the whole act rubbish. Charlus often joked that it was because she couldn't do it. Jane moved to the window, opening it and staring out toward the sky.

This would be a good year. New things were hiding everywhere for all of them to find. Jane smiled; RJ wouldn't be her only best mate for long.

"Hello, Lily." Jane spoke out, closing the window before she turned to see if she had been right.

Lily had stopped short at the door, her hand over her heart. "You scared me, Jane." She laughed, moving to the bed next to Jane's. "I never told you congratulations at the feast. Glad to have another smart thinking witch here." Lily started to open her trunk, before she glanced over at Jane's bed. "Yours?"

"Yup. Guess it was the last one open." Jane smiled, nervously. She ran a hand through the ends of her hair, biting her lip.

"It usually is. Cynthia sleeps on the other side of Ashley, which is the only reason that one wasn't open too." Lily shrugged pointing to the bed next to her own.

"You don't sound too fond of Cynthia…" Jane smiled, moving to her own trunk.

"Not at all. She's loud, obnoxious…"Lily's ramblings were muffled as she pulled her purple shirt over her head, but she didn't seem to notice "…and she's always spending hours alone in the boys' dorm, alone, with Sirius Black. You don't like her do you?" Lily gasped, stopping her reach for her nigh shirt.

"Oh, Merlin, no." Jane laughed, stripping off her own shirt. "I don't think we're _ever_ going to get along." She reached in and grabbed the first quidditch shirt she could find. It was James' old harpies one.

"Good, 'cause I didn't want to offend you or anything." Lily folded her dirty clothes up before putting them on the floor in front of her trunk, next digging out her clothes for the next day.

"Don't worry." Jane kicked her jeans and shirt into a pile, "I'm pretty hard to offend if it's not about my family. Well, unjustified at least. I remember what you said about James." She smiled, climbing into bed.

"I'll try to remember that." Lily smiled, climbing into her own bed next to her. "Night, Jane Potter."

"Night, Lily Evans." Jane yawned.

"Hey Sirius?" James shouted as he made his way up to the boy's dorm.

"Important?" Sirius muttered from behind his closed curtains.

"Um…yeah. It's about Jane. Cynthia? Can you leave? Please?" He flopped onto his bed, staring up at the brown ceiling. He glanced next to him at Sirius' bed when he heard the curtains open. Cynthia shot him a very angry glare as she smoothed out her hair and pulled down her wrinkled blouse.

"See ya at breakfast!" Sirius called after her. She flipped her hair at him, with a "humph!" Sirius rolled his eyes once he was sure she was gone. "Women. So, what about your little sis?"

"Actually, she's older than me, but that's beside's the point. She's kind grossed out by you and Cynthia being, well…you two. Frankly, I am too. And Peter probably is, though he'd never admit it. So, can you cool it down a bit in front of us? You know, no more snog fests at breakfast, no more fexing in the middle of us hanging out. All the time, I mean, I know how she can get sometimes." James laughed, punching Sirius' shoulder at his exception.

Sirius laughed swatting at James. "Ok, I'll try it, but if _she_ starts it I'm not gonna say no. She can get kind of jealous if she thinks I'm starting to like another girl more than her. You know how my eyes like to wander."

"Yeah, they seem to wander more and more toward Jane. You like her?"

"Yeah. I mean, she's growing up nicely, and her hair's grown out. I like it longer, it brings out her eyes more. But you said she's off limits, so, hands off." Sirius got up to see if Peter had finished his homework so Sirius could steal it instead of working on his own.

"Yeah, and she is. But, I mean if you like her—for more than your hair fetish, anyway—then I wouldn't get mad." James suggested, turning his eyes back to the ceiling.

"Really? Thanks mate." Sirius smiled.

"Yeah, shut up." James laughed, "And you can just check your blanks with mine, you know. On top of everything in my trunk."

"I ever tell you you're my best mate?" Sirius laughed, digging in James' trunk now.

"Yeah, every time I let you copy my--."

"I don't copy. I check my blanks." Sirius corrected him.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Hey RJ." Jane smiled, kissing his head as she sat next to him. "You awake, James?" Jane flicked an oat at James, laughing as he continued to stare toward the Slytherin's table. "James?" She asked again, flicking more food at him.

"It's no use, Janey. Lily's over there." RJ explained, cutting his fruit for the fifth time.

"So? He wasn't like this earlier." Jane turned to look at her dorm mate. Lily was leaning over the Slytherin's table, pointing something out to Severus. "Jamesie-kins!" Jane shouted, snapping her fingers in front of his face.

James jumped, "ah! Don't do that! And don't call me that! Only _mum_ can call me that."

"Or Lily!" Sirius and Jane said together. They stared at each other for a moment before Sirius winked at her. Jane scoffed, now in unison with James.

"It's just…look at her. She's really fine. I mean, just look. The way she dresses, the way she talks, her hair--"

"Now who has a hair fetish?" Sirius laughed, "'Sides, mate, you don't know how she talks. She's always yelling at you."

"But she does dress nice." Peter added.

"Yeah." The boys nodded their voices and faces revealing the innuendo behind their smiles.

"You three are pathetic. No wonder Cynthia's the only girl any of you could get." Jane scoffed, getting up. She flipped her hair at them as she moved to Lily and Severus.

"Professor McGonagall said so. I mean she'd know better than you any day, Severus." Lily finished, closing the book they were looking up.

"Already starting the rest of this year's homework, Lily?" Jane teased. Lily rolled her eyes.

"It's nothing. Severus just thinks that a Hogwarts student could perform the animagi transformation while in school, which McGonagall and I think is _ridiculous_." She explained, shoving her book into her bag.

"Not necessarily. My dad's an auror at the ministry, and him and Mad-Eye caught this one kid who did it when they were like sixteen. 'Course the kid _did_ go to Durmstrang and not here…"

"Mad-Eye?" Severus piped up.

"Sixteen?" Lily overlapped him shocked.

"Yes, sixteen. Mad-Eye's my godfather. Alaster Moody? I call him Mad-Eye 'cause with that weird eye of his he always looks really mad." Jane smiled. She'd been toying with the idea for a few years now, ever since she'd read a report on Mad-Eye's desk about some wizards who claimed to be working for a "Dark Lord". She wondered if there were books here that could teach her to do it. Jane knew she had to do it soon; even the Daily Prophet was beginning mentioning him. "But I think that if you're good enough you could do it earlier."

"Whatever." Lily rolled her eyes, "I'll see you guys in Potions." She stole an apple from the Slytherins, before she headed for the main stairs, "What Potter?" She stopped behind RJ.

"Good morning to you too!" He shouted across to her, waving his arm wildly.

"Don't you have some first year to be flirting with?"

"Oh, Jen knows my heart belongs to you." He beamed, pushing his wire rims up his nose.

"Who ever said I wanted it?" She dropped the apple onto their table. She often found she wasn't very hungry after talking with James. "Come on Remus, we want to get good seats in Arithmacy. I've heard Professor Scrim's pretty tough on the front and back rows. She tugged at his shoulder, shooting James a 'drop dead' glare. If James understood it, he didn't show it with his beaming smile. RJ got to his feet, his eyes never meeting Sirius or James', and left with Lily quickly.

James sighed, his smile fading as Lily and RJ turned the corner. "What's her problem?"

"Your big head." Jane said simply, standing, with Severus, where Lily had just been.

"Your existence?" Severus shot in. James glared at both of them, getting to his feet. "What Jamesie-kins? I say something wrong?" James turned his glare onto his sister, who was tugging at Severus' sleeve.

"You're gonna wanna leave Snivulus." Sirius glared, standing up next to James.

"Come on, let's go." Jane suggested, tugging at Severus slowly. He jerked his arm away from her.

"No, James asked a question. I gave him an answer. Isn't that right Jamesie-kins?" Severus smirked. Jane looked around, more to make sure that neither of them would get in trouble. The much of the staff wasn't there, and the ones that were weren't paying any attention to the students. The Slytherins, on the other hand, were paying plenty of attention as were the Gryffindor.

"Don't call me that." James warned him, his hand hovering over his wand.

"Why Jamesie-kins?"

"'Cause you'll regret it if you don't." Sirius snapped, balling up his fists.

"Shut up Sirius. Snivel? I'd head off to class right now if I were you 'cause it'd bloody suck to spend it with Madam Pomfy. Course she is the only girl that'd touch a grease ball like you." James glared, his hand still hovering over his wand. Jane was amazed. Severus wasn't doing much but she could tell it was getting to James, but James still hadn't touched his wand. He'd _definitely_ gotten his father's patience. Sirius hadn't. He was a Black, one hundred percent.

"Jamesie-kins--" Severus started before Sirius' fist hit his face, knocking him into Jane.

"Sirius!" Jane snapped, before Severus swung at Sirius over the table. "Severus!" She shrieked as Severus' fist met Sirius' nose. Jane grabbed the Slytherin's arm and drug him out as Sirius cursed behind them. Jane glanced back as they hurried out before the Professor's could determine whether it was a fight or just rough housing too much. She saw Sirius slide back to his seat, his hand pinching his nose like he had a few years ago, the Slytherin's laughed wildly and James paying them no attention, concerned for Sirius. _He should've been a Hufflepuff._ Jane thought as Severus yanked out of her grip, his eye reddening before the bruise he was sure to have at the end of the day.

"What were you thinking?! Severus, what'd he do to get you that mad?" Jane snapped, slumping onto the bottom step of the main staircase. Severus sat next to her.

"I heard how he was talking about Lily, like she deserved him. She's too good for him. She's too good for any of the boys here. She's special, Jane. She's really special." Severus sighed, leaning back against the next step.

"You like her. _You_ like _Lily_?" Jane laughed lightly.

"Shut up! I-I…it's not funny."

"Sorry, it's just…if you like her so much I don't get why you don't just ask her to Hogsmade? I'm sure she'd go with you." Jane ruffled his flat hair. Severus jerked away,

"She'd say no. Like I said, she's too good for any one here. Even me. I'm just lucky enough to have her as my best friend, and that's what I need to be happy with. But it doesn't mean I have to let people like James Potter talk about her like she's some kind of object there for his enjoyment. She's not Cynthia!"

"I know James is a bit big headed…ok, he's got a head the size of the Hindenburg, but he would never treat Lily like Sirius does Cynthia. That's just not who he is. Besides in a few months I'm sure some second year'll blossom and James'll be saying Lily who. But _you_, Severus Snape, need to go for it. Grab the bull by the horns. Jump while you can. You know _carpe diem_." Jane smiled, shoving him lightly

Severus shook his head, getting to his feet. "Yeah, no. But Thanks Jane, you're pretty cool." He started up the stairs, "For a Gryffindor." He added smiling. Jane laughed,

"I try." She laughed.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Jane groaned when she saw the last open spot was at James and Sirius' table. His nose was obviously bruising. Jane sat across from Sirius, not daring to sit next to him.

"Hey, Raccoon face." Jane teased, "Have I missed anything? Had to run back and grab my book." She whispered to James. He shook his head, ignoring Sirius' unhappy mumblings.

"Not yet, Professor just go here." He whispered back.

"Potters! Perhaps you'd enjoy enlightening your classmates with the first rule of prediction?"

"Always have a witness. Duh, if you have a prophesy you'll need someone there to tell you what you've said or else what's the point?" James scoffed.

"No" Jane and their Professor said together.

"Always have parchment. Any prediction can be written down and looked at later after the initial feelings have passed. While a witness would be good, all prophesies are stored in the Ministry of Magic in a special department."

"A special _mythical_ department." James added.

"Only those that believe in Crumpled-Horned Snorkaks believe prophesies are stored in a special room. What are they, in little crystal balls?" Sirius scoffed, slapping James' up lifted hand.

"Actually, Mr. Black they have been known to. And Snorkaks are very much real. Just as real as the grim. Five points to the Gryffindor House." Their Professor explained. She refused to have the class know her name—even her last name—because she believed names hold powers and if someone knew your name they could control you. And for that only the Ministry, her family and Albus Dumbledore had ever called her by her name in the last eighteen years.

"Where'd you learn so much about this rubbish, birdie?" Sirius leaned toward, flashing a more normal smile than he usually did. Maybe it was the hurt nose that was shrinking his ego.

"Divinations is not rubbish. 'Sides Potter's tend to get the sight, at least somewhat." Jane whispered across to him.

"Yeah. Tea Leaves" James said pointing to himself, "and stars." He pointed to Jane. "It's not as much rubbish as everyone makes it out to be."

Sirius shook his head, leaning back. "Lily does." He smirked, laughing at James as he squirmed in his seat. Jane shook her head,

"Pay attention Black." She couldn't help but smile at the two of them. Sirius Black wasn't too bad looking when he wasn't trying to flirt with you. _No! Jane Potter you better focus and you better focus now! Sirius Black is not cute. He's very much the opposite of cute. Disgusting! Hideous! Atrocious! Ok, maybe not atrocious…_ Jane thought to herself as she gathered together her things for their first assignment.

The first few days of classes went by quicker than Jane had expected. She was thankful that she didn't have to sit with Sirius more than once a day. He sat close enough behind or ahead of her that she had to listen to his continues "Psst! Psst! Birdie! Pretty bird! Janey! JANEY!" but she felt she could live with it.

It was nearly a month into school before she realized it. Sirius had seemed to have gotten the hint and had recently stopped bothering Jane every second he could. She missed the noise at times, but just the noise she kept telling herself, it wasn't because of what he was saying.

"Why don't you go out with John?" Sirius pestered her one day late in October.

"What? Who?" Jane rolled her eyes, setting her quill down.

"John. Lupin. Why don't you go out with him? You two _obviously_ like each other. Or is it that you like me more?" He smirked, brushing her hair back slowly.

Jane laughed, an action so unexpected to Sirius that he jumped, jerking his hand back as if she'd hurt him. "You mean _Remus_ John? Me and RJ are just friends. 'Sides he's so focused on getting good marks that he doesn't really have time to date."

"So are you. Ask him out. You know you like him." He kissed her cheek quickly, laughing as she swiped at him, "See ya, birdie." He waved, rushing up to the boy's dorm.

"What's up?" RJ laughed, taking Sirius' old seat.

"Sirius is just…being Sirius." Jane shook her head.

"With an 'E' or an 'I'?" RJ joked.

"Heard that!" Sirius shouted down the stairs. RJ and Jane slumped low, failing to stifle their laughter.

"Guess he's heard that one before." Jane laughed, beaming at her best mate. He laughed back, his eyes closed and his head down like he did when he was really laughing and not just being polite. Jane stared; she didn't know what it was, whether it was Sirius' suggestion or if she was just now noticing what had always eluded her before, but RJ was looking cuter than he had at breakfast that morning. "Did you do something different with your hair, RJ?" She smiled. His eyes were brighter than usual, or had she never noticed that either?

"Huh? Oh, I parted it differently this morning. Are you ok?"

"Yeah I just…am noticing stuff today." She laughed. "You going to Hogsmade?" She quickly returned to her homework.

"No." He answered gruffly, making Jane look at him concerned. "It's the first day." He whispered, looking around them to see who was in the room.

"Shit. Oh, RJ I'm sorry. I forgot. I know. We'll hang out in the boy's dorm then. You, me, and a trunk full of Honeydukes chocolate." Jane turned to him and beamed. RJ laughed.

"Ok. You sure you don't want to go? I mean I'm sure Sirius--"

"Would love to hit on me? Try to feel me up under the table at The Three Broomsticks? Fex me outside the Shrieking Shack?" Jane shook her head.

"Well, yeah, I was gonna say go with you but…fex?"

"Face hexing. Tonsil Hockey." Jane clarified. "James' phrasing."

"Ok, _so_ didn't need that image." RJ laughed, his eyes closed and head down again. Jane smiled. She liked him, she really liked him. _Wow_….


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Hey, RJ!" Jane beamed two large bags in her hands.

"Hey." He smiled sleepily over at her. His normally obsessively made bed was gone and one whose sheets were wrinkled and laying half on the floor had taken its place. She sat next to him, placing the bags on his lap when he sat up.

"What's in that?" James asked, glancing over from the hand mirror he'd propped up to 'fix' his hair.

"Honeydukes." Jane smiled as RJ opened another chocolate frog.

"Phishes everything." RJ mumbled.

"What'd he say?" Sirius laughed, pulling his shirt off.

"Fixes everything." Jane translated, wrapping her arms around RJ. "Feeling better?" He nodded, the color was returning to his cheeks. That was always a good sign. "Good." She kissed his cheek.

James and Sirius shot the other a smirk as they caught the red color rising up their Gryffindor's face.

"So you two lovebirds gonna spend this wonderful October night up here?" Sirius teased, ruffling James' hair.

"Perfect." He laughed, tossing the mirror onto his bed. "So, are you?" He yanked his tie loose, nearly off.

"That's the plan. Now go snog second years and leave us alone." Jane shooed them. James stuck his tongue out and left Sirius alone with them.

"Be nice to him now birdie. It's ol' Johnny boy's time of the month." Sirius teased before rushing out to doge the chocolate frog box RJ was hurling his way.

"Bugger off, you daft prick!" RJ shouted as the box left his hand.

"It's ok, Remus. Its better that he thinks that than if he knew the truth, isn't it?" Jane cuddled close to her best mate, opening another chocolate frog for him.

"True." He grumbled, taking it. "So, why aren't you out with them? I mean I'm not daft, I know how loads of the kids look at you."

"I don't like them." She smiled, looking up at him.

"Who do you like then?" RJ asked, the frog hopping into his mouth.

"He's really adorable. He's totally smart too. A Gryffindor, you know. He doesn't play quidditch here but he makes _great_ strategies. And he's got these _really _really adorable eyes. I'm a sucker for cute eyes." Jane blushed, her head on his chest.

"Why don't you tell him?"

"He's worried that he'll hurt me."

"You? You can take care of yourself. I say just slap him." He laughed.

"I have." Jane grumbled.

"Do it again, then."

"Ok." Jane sat up, thumping him in the forehead. He froze, staring at her. "I like you, you daft sod." She laughed.

"Me? Janey! I-I'm--"

She rolled her eyes, repeating him in her best mocking voice. " _a dangerous creature that's meant to be alone_. Pssh! Remus, I like you. And 'sides Wolves are in packs. Let me be part of yours."

"Jane…I…I like you but--"

She leaned forward, cutting him off with a kiss. She smiled when he kissed her back. "But we'll make it work." She whispered before kissing him again.

Sirius winked at Rosemerta as he took the four bottles from her. She waved him off, without even trying to hide the blush in her cheeks. He laughed, setting their bottles on the table. "No girl can resist Sirius Black's charm." He bragged, sitting between Peter and Cynthia. He wrapped his arm around her waist, kissing her cheek. She smiled and moved closer to him.

"No _sane_ girl at least." She smiled, kissing him before she took the closest bottle.

"What do you mean by that?" He cocked an eyebrow at her as he grabbed his own bottle.

"Just Jane doesn't seem to be falling for your charms." She said matter-of-factly before drinking her mead.

"Jane's perfectly sane." Sirius snapped.

"She's just saying Jane's not falling over you, and you just said that no girl could do that." Peter put in, defensive.

"Don't defend my girlfriend." He snapped at him, before turning back to Cynthia, "Jane is perfectly sane! And I--"

"Am completely happy for her and Remus?" James cut him off. "They're good for each other, mate. Just like Cynthia is for you." He added, hoping to appease Cynthia as Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Remus John Lupin's a big baby. He gets sick _every_ month. For a _week_. She needs a man." Sirius grumbled glugging down his mead.

"Like you?" Cynthia glared, cocking her head to one side. Peter and James shared a look, attempting to send Sirius a warning with their eyes.

"Yeah! Just like me." Sirius snapped.

"Too bad she won't _take you_!" Cynthia shrieked, standing. Sirius turned to her to comment when she turned her bottle and poured the entire contents over his head. She threw the bottle at him, storming out of the gawking room.

"You should really be nicer to her." Peter mumbled, barely intelligibly.

"Bugger off, Rat." Sirius groaned standing and shaking his arms in an ineffective attempt to get some of the mead off of him.

"Mate…" James frowned.

"I'll see you guys." Sirius snapped leaving as well.

"RJ!" Jane laughed.

"It's true! He did!" RJ laughed, smiling. The color had returned to his cheeks and it sounded like he was feeling better. Jane loved that. Blue Moons always made the transformations more painful. Jane was glad though that this year it was on Halloween. Werewolves weren't the strangest thing to happen that day.

Jane kissed RJ's cheek, cuddling closer to him. "You're so mean RJ." She scolded lovingly. RJ smiled, cuddling her back. Sirius stopped at the doorway, staring at the new couple. Jane rested her head on RJ's shoulder, trying not to concern herself with the cold look Sirius was giving them—colder than she'd ever seen his eyes.

"You smell like a pub." RJ scolded, scrunching up his face at his dorm mate.

"That's because Cynthia poured a bottle of mead over my head." Sirius grumbled, making his way to his bed. "And _no_ it wasn't her way of saying she loved me." He snapped, pulling his shirt over his head. Jane thought about quickly averting her eyes, but decided against it. She'd walked in on James hundreds of times as they grew up, and spent every morning after the full moon with RJ. Sirius Black didn't have anything she hadn't already seen—and wished could be unseen.

"Maybe it was because she was so wasted she couldn't down another? You ever think of dating a girl who could hold her fire whisky?" Jane smirked, never letting RJ go.

"She's thirteen, stupid. No thirteen year old drinks fire whisky and second she was _not_ wasted. _We_ have decency." Sirius snapped.

Jane scoffed, sitting up as he sat on James' bed, digging through his best mate's clothes. "A thirteen year old who has the Potter metabolism. And since when have you and that succubus been _descent_? I'll tell you when, never. You probably did something to deserve more than a bottle of mead poured on you."

"You've had fire whisky?" RJ sat up, eyeing her. Jane shrugged nodding.

"Yeah, a little bit." She said nonchalantly.

"You don't know bit about me _or_ Cynthia. I love her. Why else would I forgive her for all of her stupid overreactions?" Sirius snapped, whipping his head to face her. The smell of the mead wafted over to them. "So shut up, bitch." Sirius grabbed an old quidditch shirt before shoving it over his head.

"Your hair still reeks prick." Jane rolled her eyes.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Boo!" James shouted, jumping from the shadows at a passing group of first years, who promptly screamed and then giggled uncontrollably when they spotted it was James. He beamed, proud of himself—even for this childish prank.

"Oh, James." The bold one of the trio giggled, shoving James' shoulder. He moved closer to her, leaning against the brick wall beside them.

"You gonna do something about it?" He flirted, lowering his voice so that only her and her friends could hear him.

"Potter!" Lily shrieked. The portal closed behind Jane who was walking just behind her.

James whipped around, his flirting smirk growing as he looked Lily over. Jane stared at her brother in disgust as she realized that he was looking at Lily the same way Sirius looked at her—and _nothing_ like how RJ looked at her, except the glow on her brother's face. That was the same as RJ's.

"Hey, Evans." He ran his hand through his hair, which didn't make much difference to the already matted rat's nest he called a hair style. "What'cha doing this beautifully ghoulish All Hollow's eve?" He looked her over again.

"As if it was _any_ of your business, _Potter_, Severus Snape and I are spending the night together in the library. _Directly_ after the feast." She snapped, turning her nose up at him. James frowned, grabbing the bold first year's arm.

"Yeah, well, me and---what's your name?" He asked looking down at the red faced girl.

"Sarah Ne--" She stared before James cut her off.

"Me and Sarah are gonna spend the night in the boy's dorm. Maybe skipping the feast." He smirked, wrapping his arm around Sarah and pulling her to him.

"I hope it'll be worth the life time of therapy and visits to the hospital wing, Sarah." Lily shot back, shoving through the group of James 'fan girls'. Jane followed quickly behind, shooting her brother both a disgusted look and a look to say "We're talking tomorrow" as she passed.

"Lily?" Jane brushed her hand against her best girl mate's shoulder as they walked up the steps to the girl's dorm.

"James Potter is disgusting! Ugh! Why _any_ of these girls fall for him I'll _never_ know!" Lily snapped, immediately flopping onto her bed as soon as they got into their dormitory.

"Perhaps because James Potter is really hot?" Cynthia smirked, laughing with her lackeys.

"But not as hot as Sirius Black right?" Jane scoffed, sitting with Lily.

Cynthia snorted—something Jane's mother would have cringed at, and exactly what Jane did at that moment, "Not even. I'd drop Sirius Black in a _second_ if James Potter wanted me to."

"You've _got_ to be kidding me!" Jane whipped her head toward Cynthia and her friends.

"I'm not, but any girl that would _choose _to hook up with that freak Lupin isn't exactly the best judge of taste. Now is she?"

Jane gritted her teeth, "Shut up, skank." The lackeys stared at Jane, giggling. She got to her feet. "Shut up, about RJ."

Cynthia smirked, leaning back on one arm. "Or what?"

Jane didn't dignify her sneer with words, instead letting herself get lost in her Black temperament. Turning around to face the girls she smiled at them. Cynthia stared back at Jane as her girls slowly moved to the bed next to them.

"Or _what_?" Cynthia repeated. Jane was on her feet, fists flying. She hit Cynthia several times before Lily finally got a good enough grip around Jane's waist to pull her back.

"Professor Dumbledore's going to hear of this!" Cynthia shouted, scrambling to get to the door. Her lip and nose were bleeding slightly, and only a slight bruise was forming on her right eye.

"He won't believe you!" Jane snapped, yanking away from Lily's grip.

"Jane? Are you ok?" Lily asked, softly. Cynthia and her lackeys' footsteps quickly disappeared down the stairs.

"Yeah…" She sighed, rubbing her fist. She let out a small smile, "Not a scratch on me." She sat on her bed, facing Lily. She was right, there wasn't anything on Jane to prove she'd just gotten into the fight besides her knuckles—and the redness was already fading away.

"She _really_ doesn't like you, does she?" Lily smiled, trying to lighten their somber mood.

Jane frowned, "She can hate me all she wants but RJ…he's never fit in, and he knows it. He thinks he's some kind of freak because people like _her_ keep telling him that he is." She sighed, "I'm gonna go see him, he's not feeling well today. Have _fun_ with Severus." Jane teased, standing up. Lily laughed, hitting her lightly with her pillow.

"Shut up. I don't like him like that."

"Whatever. See ya." Jane laughed, grabbing a bag of Honeydukes chocolate on her way.

Jane stopped briefly when she spotted Sirius and Cynthia sitting by the fire. He looked genuinely concerned about her—though it could have just been the fire light, Jane reasoned. He was holding her close to him, rubbing her head. Sirius Black, for once, looked like a typical third year with his girlfriend, in no hurry to get in her robes. Jane shook her head, it wouldn't last long. She shouldered her bag and continued up to the boys' dorm, stopping short when she saw James handing RJ a cup.

"What's going on?" Jane asked, moving closer slowly. James smiled at her.

"Hey. RJ isn't feeling good again today. I told him he should go to the hospital wing, but he's as stubborn as you." James took the now finished cup from RJ, "So I fixed him some tea in the kitchens. It always makes me feel better when I'm down."

"Thanks James." Jane rushed to RJ's side, looking over him worried. "I got you some more Honeydukes." Jane sat the bag on his bed, helping him sit up. She was studying his face so intently that she barely heard James gasp behind her.

"No…there has to be…Janey! Read this." He shoved the cup under her nose.

"James, what?" She jerked her head back.

"RJ…his…tea leaves…." He glanced at RJ, who was staring back at him terrified, "Your leaves, they're…different. You're gonna have something to do with violence soon, which is just stupid 'cause this is you, you never get in fights."

"Yeah, well tea leaves are just rubbish." RJ groaned, glancing at Jane. She was just as worried as he was. James studied the leaves farther.

"The Moon. Something about it." James looked up, "RJ, don't go outside tonight. Ok? I think something bad's about to happen to you."

"James, I'm a big boy. I can take care of myself." He snapped.

"The leaves say--!"

"The leaves are rubbish!" RJ snapped, grabbing Jane's bag from his bed and started to get up. Jane tried to get him to lie back down, but when it was this close to the full moon RJ's temper was short and he was even more stubborn than usual. "Tea readings are just a bunch _faked_ smudges from _fake_ deviators!" He snapped shoving Jane aside and standing. "_I'm _going for a walk, _outside_." He ignored James' pleadings for him to listen to him.

"You could get bit! It's a full moon! You--" James stopped, the pieces falling together. "You always go out on the full moon. You're gone all night. You did that earlier this month too…Remus John Lupin, are you…a…a _werewolf_?" He whispered the word, his eyes wide.

"What's going on?" Sirius asked, stopping in the doorway, Peter and Cynthia behind him.

"Nothing. Cynthia, bugger off, this is personal." James snapped at her. Her eyes got wide, her bruise bright and her lip cut.

"James…she's here!" she shouted, pointing at Jane.

"I'm his _sister--_" Jane started, allowing James to finish for her in typical twin fashion.

"--You nitwit!" James snapped. She huffed and left down the stairs. Sirius and Peter came farther into the room, still standing in front of the door, blocking RJ's way out.

"Are you a werewolf?" James asked again.

"James, shut up." Jane snapped, moving to RJ's side.

"You're hexing a werewolf?" Sirius snapped to her.

"Nice RJ." Peter smiled.

"I'm not hexing—shagging—anyone!" Jane snapped.

"Are you a werewolf?" James asked again, putting his hand on their dorm mate's shoulder. RJ nodded, closing his eyes and letting his head fall down.

Sirius and Peter stared at him, their fear obvious, while James smiled.

"Cheer up Moony. Jane's not so great to be around a week a month either."

Jane stared at her brother, perplexed. RJ looked up at him, slowly smiling.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"I have to get going." RJ stood, in unison with Jane.

"Oh, come on, one more match." James begged as the chess set reset it's self. He shook his head.

"I stayed here way too long. It's almost time. We'll play a rematch tomorrow night." He flashed him a small smile.

"Be careful out there Moony." James warned, moving the chess set off of his bed.

"James, I'm pretty sure I'm one of the worst things out there."

Jane wrapped her arms around from behind him, leaning her head on his arm. She was much shorter than he was now that he had reached his growth spurts. "Come on RJ, I'll walk you to the Shack." She smiled, letting go of him only once he nodded. She took his hand, leading him out of the castle.

Sirius had watched as Jane cuddled up against RJ, biting his tongue until they were gone. "She really likes that guy?" He snapped out.

"Moony's been her best mate since they were, like, five. She likes him, maybe not really _that_ way but we have a code, remember? _Mates Before Dates_. Moony's a Marauder just like you." James sighed, pulling out his potions homework and book.

"What's a marauder?" Peter looked up from James' quidditch book.

"_We're_ Marauders." James smiled, opening his book up.

"You named us?" Sirius eyed him curiously.

"Of course I did, and Moony's one of us so you'll leave him and Janey alone. You had your chance with her and she said no. You just need to accept that."

"Like you and Lily?" Sirius snapped.

"Touché." James frowned, "But of course I don't have a girlfriend."

"Yeah, you have like three." Sirius snapped.

"Three _Snogging_ partners. There's a difference. They know how I am. So quit trying to get with Jane until you're _both_ single. Preferably, at least her." James snapped back, "Now if you don't mind _I_ actually want to get my _own_ Potions homework done."

"You do that your highness." Sirius snapped, tossing his book and parchment at Peter, who squeaked and scrambled to catch the projectiles. "Do mine." Sirius ordered him, before getting up to find Cynthia.

James sighed, "Sirius. Sorry." He mumbled.

"Same here." Sirius grumbled back before heading down the stairs.

Jane glanced back at RJ again on her way up the stairs to the main part of the shack. RJ glared up at her.

"Go." He hissed, leaning his head back against the wall. "GO!" He shouted, his body shaking. Jane stared at him, she knew this one would be worse, but it never hit her just how much worse. "Get o--!" He screamed, before all there was were snarling sounds. His head was lengthening, as was his body. Jane stared at him before quickly gaining her senses. She'd never stayed around long enough to see him transform, and didn't think she'd ever want to see it go any farther. She ran up the stairs, slamming the door closed behind her, locking it with her wand. She swallowed hard as she heard the werewolf snarling and fighting to get out. Biting her lip to hold in her tears she ran back to the castle, forgetting that she'd stolen James' invisibility cloak earlier that day, just for this occasion.

"Hey, see RJ off alright?" Sirius glanced up from his piles of parchment.

"Yeah, I'll see him again tomorrow. Never miss a day after." She smiled sadly, wiping the tears from her eyes. Sirius dropped his quill, taking her hand in his. Jane jumped as he tightened his fingers around hers.

"He doesn't need you looking after him like this. You ever think that you being so coddle-some is why it's so hard on him? You need to let him go, let him grow up." He flashed a small smile, squeezing her hand.

"I'm only coddling him because no one else _ever_ has! His mum feeds him rabbit foot to try to manage it! They have his spare room in the basement!" She snapped low, careful not to let any of the other students hear them. Sirius stared at her, confused.

"Janey, that's because if they gave him his own room he'd tear it up. And maybe rabbit food's all his mum thinks will help." Sirius shook his head, "I'm not even talking about that. I mean his whole being a freak thing." Jane glared, jerking her hand away, balling them into fists.

"Some one says something bad," Sirius continued,, "And you do _that_! You don't let him fight his own bloody battles! You coddle him like you're his fucking mum!"

"I do not!" Jane snapped standing to her feet.

"You do too and you know it." Sirius retorted, scoffing.

"I do not you fucking liar!" Jane shrieked her fist swinging before she knew it. Hitting him squarely in the nose again, she didn't stick around to see if she'd broken it again, fleeing to James. Her eyes burned again, like they had nearly a half hour ago when she saw the start of her best mate's monthly torture.

James lay on his bed, sitting half up against his head board. The first year from earlier that night curled against him, laughing at his quidditch story—even though it wasn't meant to be laughed at. She smiled up at him, playing with his undone tie and the buttons on his shirt that she hadn't unfastened yet.

"Get out firstie." Jane snapped, her arms folded around him. Sarah glanced up at her, staring as if Jane was speaking a foreign language to her. "Now!" She repeated, sniffling.

"You can't talk to me like that! I'm James Potter's girlfriend!" Sarah snapped, getting to her feet.

"No you're not! You were just the first cute girl he saw when Lily was around talking about Severus Snape! Now get out! I have to talk to my brother." Jane shouted, moving to her brother's bed. Sarah glanced at James shocked, Jane wasn't sure what James had told the first year to get her to come up to the boy's dorm with him but she was sure she was going to hit him for it later.

"You said you loved me!" She shouted, bursting into tears as she bolted from the room.

"James!" Jane shouted, whipping her wand out and holding it at him.

"Hey! I said I loved her _hair_!" James shouted, cowering. "I said I loved her hair." He repeated, slowly uncurled himself, watching his sister's face. She dropped her arm, her cheeks soaked as her tears gushed. James scrambled to make room for his sister on the small twin bed. She flung her arms around him, hiding her face into his shoulder. James held her, smoothing down her hair. "Shh…shhh…" He whispered as she cried.

He rested his head against hers; he was used to comforting her for strange things. There were a lot of days—all full moons James guessed—when Jane would fight with their mum, even after she'd attended Beauxbatons. Jane just wasn't the perfect daughter their mother wanted. And she never forgot to mention it to Jane. While she smothered James far more than she needed to—often telling him he couldn't do things that his sister was doing with no sign of trouble—he understood what it was like to constantly never be good enough. Their father often was the same with him, though never as explosive, James felt that it hurt him just the same as their mum hurt her.

"What happened?" James whispered, swooshing his wand to pull the curtains around his bed closed.

"Sirius." She mumbled. James laughed, shaking her. "Shut up. He said I was babying RJ!" She sat up, wiping her eyes. She pulled her knees to her chest. "He said I was acting like RJ's mum, and that I was coddling him. I'm not! I'm helping him! They don't treat him like he's even a person there James! They ignore his screams. I skip out and sit by his window sometimes. He screams for her, you know, for his mum to do something. For her to stop the pain." She bit her lip; she didn't need to start crying again. "What I do if nothing close to what _they_ should do for him. I do exactly what a friend should do. It's not coddling, it's caring. You'd do the same thing for him if you knew him as long as I have."

"Yeah. We're gonna do the same for him now. Sirius means well, he does. He likes Mooney, but his family's a bit…nuts." James smiled, ruffling her hair, "We're gonna take good care of Mooney, don't worry Janey."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"So what do you two think about Animagi?" James whispered, draping his arms over his two best mate's shoulders. Sirius looked down at him, studying his face. Peter beamed.

"We gonna turn Snivulus into one as a prank?" He squeaked.

"No. We're gonna get him during his free period. I mean, what do you guys think about _us_ being Animagi?" James asked again, lowering his voice in the crowded corridor.

"James! That's illegal!" Peter jumped.

"Peter! It'll be bloody fun. What for, Potter?" Sirius grinned.

"To help Mooney with his furry little problem." James laughed dropping his arms.

"What problem Potter? The great James Potter has a problem in his life? Why don't you just go play some Quidditch and make a first year cry? That's seemed to make you who you are now." Lily crossed her arms, frowning. Severus glanced between them, smiling. Jane sighed.

"Lily, come on. James isn't doing anything." She tugged at her fellow Gryffindor's green stripped sweater.

"No, I want to know what's gotten our wonderful Jamesie-kins in such a foul mood." Lily sneered, moving closer to him.

James smiled, turning to face her, his eyes drifting over her. "I'd love to play a match against you someday Evans." He smirked, moving toward her as well, his eyes locking on hers. They were almost the same height, but each kept trying to stand straighter than the other. "But that's assuming you know which _house_ you're in. You're not him, Evans. You're not a snake; you're more of a birdie."

"A very pretty bird." Sirius added in, smiling.

"Don't you have a girlfriend to impregnate, Black?" Lily snapped at him, turning back to James, "I'm supporting the better team, and Severus is my best mate. It's the right thing to do either way, Potter. I'm watching you. You may have Professor Dumbledore thinking your some kind of saint, but I know better. You're up to something and I'm going to find out what. Watch me." She whispered her threat to him, narrowing her eyes. James smiled.

"I never stop." James whispered back, brushing her fiery hair out of her deep green eyes. She whipped her head back from him, glaring at him as she grabbed Severus' hand and stormed for their next class.

"James?" Jane asked, putting a hand on her brother's shoulder. "What are you planning? Is this about RJ?"

"Don't worry about it Jane Potter. It's strictly a need-to-know thing for non-Marauders." Sirius smiled, pulling James away from Jane. "Peter and I are in."

James hugged him quickly, "great! I'll be in the library!" James cheered as he rushed off.

"Sirius Black, if you're doing something to disturb my boyfriend's life _I_ need to know about it!" She snapped, grabbing his tie and pulling him to her eye level. He smiled.

"We're not _disturbing_ anything. 'Sides you're coddling again." He peeled her fingers off and left. Peter started to follow after Sirius, looking Jane over the same as James had Lily.

"Bugger off, Prick." Jane cursed at him, balling her fist. Squeaking, Peter ran after Sirius.

James spent every minute he wasn't in class or at Quidditch matches or practices in the library right up until Christmas Break rolled around. And then he checked the books he hadn't finished reading to read at home. Jane had tried sneaking around to find out what he was doing but was constantly stopped by Sirius and Peter or RJ—who kept pestering her to find out what she was trying to find out. She figured bluntly asking her brother was her last option. When they were at home, and he was alone.

Jane skipped into her brother's room, her hair pulled back in a pony tail and her skirt swooshed around her. "Hey James. What'cha reading?" She leaned on his head.

"Ah! Knock, brat!" James shouted, shutting the book quickly and pulling it to him to hide the cover.

Jane sighed, "James, come on, what are you guys up to? It's making me worried."

James frowned, looking down at the book in his arms. He never hid anything from her before. "You promise you won't tell? I mean _anyone_. Not even Mooney. Not until all of this is done and we're sure it'll work."

"Of course. What is it?" Jane asked, moving to James' bed. He turned in his chair, tossing the book next to her. She read the cover, "_Advanced_ _Transfigurations Class Two_?" Jane looked up confused, slowly flipping through the book.

"Animagi. We're trying it." Jane admitted, moving to the bed as well.

"James…I…There's something I should tell you. Ear--" Jane fiddled with her skirt.

"Jane Marie Potter! Get your ass down here, _now_!" Their mum shrieked.

"What'd you do now?" James groaned.

"I didn't. I don't think I did…" Jane got up slowly and led the way to their angry mother.

"_He's_ here. For you." Dora snapped. Her arms folded next to the open door. Jane knew exactly who her mother was talking about. She stared at RJ who was standing on their snow covered porch, smiling awkwardly.

"RJ! Come in!" Jane cried, running to him.

"He will do no such thing! I'm not having his kind in this house." Dora snapped.

Jane snapped her eyes toward her mum, "_Mum_! He's RJ! He's our neighbor! He's my best mate! My _boyfriend_!" She snapped.

"Janey, really, it's fine. I just wanted to bring you your present. I would've just owl-ed it but my dad doesn't like me sending stuff that way. He's just getting used to me _getting_ stuff that way." He smiled, handing her a little box. "I'll see you later. Maybe when it's warmer. Happy almost three months." He waved as he started back down the road.

"RJ!" Jane shouted after him, starting for him as her mum grabbed her shoulders.

"Mooney!" James shouted running down the stairs to him. He tapped his scarf lightly. "Simple heating charm." He smiled.

"James Harold Potter! You get inside, now!" Dora shrieked, letting go of Jane. Jane ran to RJ, wrapping her arms around him.

"RJ…" She smiled, hugging him tighter. James smiled as he glanced back at them as he obeyed his mum. "I didn't get you anything yet…" Jane whispered.

"Don't worry about it." He smiled, "Now get back inside before your mum freaks out that you're hugging the werewolf." He laughed.

Jane hugged him tighter. "I don't care what she says about you, RJ. You're mine." He smiled, breaking their hug. She cupped his face, kissing him as her mum shouted for her to get back inside. RJ kissed her back, briefly before noticing her mum's angry glare at him. He pushed her back and left, without saying anything else. Jane's hands fell as her mother shouted again. "You already chased him off, mum! Just shut the fuck up!" Jane shouted back, storming into Potter Manor and up to her room.

"Watch your mouth or its back to Beauxbatons for you!" Her mother shouted after her. "And we'll talk about you and that _thing_ when your father gets home!"

"His name's Mooney!" James snapped, brushing the snow from his hair. "And he's my mate too mum!"

"Not anymore, Jamesie-kins." His mother said, much softer with him.

"Mum!" James snapped.

"Not anymore James, not anymore." She shut the door and headed to the main room. James stared after her sadly. He was on his way to Jane when he saw it. Bold black letters in the front of the Prophet:

**Werewolves Attack Muggle village, Wizards May Be Next**

"Jane!" James shouted, grabbing the paper from the stand and running to his sister's room. "Jane! Read this! Mum doesn't hate Mooney!" He threw the paper at her.

"James, she's always hated him. How is anything in this rag—James! I…I have to go see Mad-eye! I have to go see dad!" She gripped the copy of the prophet, running for their closest fireplace in the network.

"Ministry of Magic! Auror Department!" She shouted as the green flames shot up around her.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Sorry for the wait. School just started back up for me and I've been going through some personal things with a friend's health. I'll try to get back to posting a chapter every day or two, but if it's not up this is why. Thank you. And I hope you enjoy.

Chapter 12

"Dad! Mad-eye!" Jane shouted, running full blast down the corridors toward the Aurors' offices.

"Whoa! Is everything alright?" A freckle covered, red haired woman asked, stopping Jane. Her hair was pulled up on the sides and she didn't look much older than seventeen. A small bump under her tank top was her only evidence of a stomach.

"It's a boy." Jane said staring at the woman's small stomach. Her eyes glazing over. Instantly the woman covered her stomach with her hands, staring down at Jane. She started to back up when a red headed and equally as freckled man put an arm around the woman, pulling her to him.

"What's going on here? What are you doing here Molly? Where's William?" He asked, confused at the sight.

"He likes to be called Bill." Jane corrected them, her eyes returning to normal.

"She says we're having another son, Arthur." The woman, Molly, hugged the man, Arthur.

"Molly-wobbles!" He cheered hugging her back. They both turned to Jane, perplexed. "I'm sorry, I'm Arthur Weasley, and this is my wife, Molly. How'd you know about Bill?"

"Or our other child?" Molly asked her hands over her stomach again.

Jane blushed. "I can…I can see things. I have the sight. Sometimes it just happens. Sorry…"

"You're a seer? Is that why you're here? Do you need to see the Minister?" Arthur pulled Molly closer.

"I need to see my father, Charlus Potter, and Alaster Moody." Jane remembered the reason she had even come.

"You're Charlus' girl? He brags about you loads. Come on I'll show you to him." Arthur smiled, kissing Molly's cheek before he let her go.

"I'll see you at home dear. Your lunch is on your desk. I should get back to Bill. He's with Andromeda." She smiled, much calmer now. Arthur smiled back, watching her leave.

"You really love her." Jane said amazed.

"Yeah, since Hogwarts. Wished I'd been brave enough to say something about it sooner." He laughed.

Her eyes grew wide when she saw her father at Mad-eye's desk. "Daddy! Mad-eye!" She ran to them, tossing the prophet onto the desk.

"Hello, Janey." Charlus smiled.

"What's this all about?" Mad-eye asked, picking up the crumpled newspaper.

"It's Him isn't it? That wizard the stars have been talking about. We have to do something. People are gonna start to think that _all_ werewolves are with him. Mum's already been mean to RJ 'cause of it."

"What Wizard?" Charlus eyed Mad-eye. "Alaster?"

Charlus took the paper and went back to his desk to pack up for the day. Jane sat on the edge of her God-father's desk. "What about you Mad-eye? You're not going to spend Christmas week alone again are you?" She eyed him, worried.

"Tom Riddle. Jane seems to think that he's something to be worried about." Mad-eye rolled his eye, tossing the paper back at Jane. "It's nothing. If your mother does it again tell her that RJ wasn't involved and if she persists your father will explain it to her. Now get home. It's nearly Christmas. Both you Potters should be heading home to your family."

"Christmas is for the person who has someone who cares about it. I don't. I'll be working." He replied, never looking up.

"She died ages ago Alaster. Perhaps if you took more time off--" Charlus started, putting his hand on Jane's shoulder, edging her off of the desk.

"I'd what Potter? Have a happy little family like you? I've been hurt far too much for that." He snapped.

"You've made your point Moody. Come on Jane. Happy Christmas, Alaster." Charlus smiled slightly as he led Jane out of the offices.

"Mad-eye's coming over again this year, right?" Jane wrapped her arms around Charlus'.

"I don't know, Janey. He's been having a lot of bad days lately. They say he's been working here too long. That he should retire. I know Alaster, he never will." Charlus sighed. Jane frowned, leaning her head against her father. She tightened her grip on him as they apparated back to their snow covered porch. "I can go see RJ, right? Mum kind of yelled at him. A lot."

Charlus kissed his daughter's head, smiling. "You take good care of him. That's hard to do with them. I'm proud of you, Janey."

"So yes?" Jane looked up at him, hopeful. He laughed, opening the door.

"Go. I'll distract your mother."

Jane kissed his cheek. "Warn James first. _Nobody_ wants to see _that_." She teased, grabbing her cloak from behind the door. "Thanks daddy!" She called as she ran down the snow covered road.

She rubbed her hands together quickly, hopping slightly as she waited for Mrs. Lupin to answer. She knocked again. "Mrs. L? Mr. Moony? RJ!" Jane called, opening the door.

"Those kids are going to find out, Charlotte! They're going to want him out!" Mr. Moony snapped. Jane moved, poking her head around the corner to watch them in the living room.

"Albus Dumbledore won't allow that! He believes _all_ great wizards should learn at Hogwarts." Mrs. Lupin argued.

"Like this?" He slammed the Prophet down. "Like this _great_ wizard? That school is filling his head with ideas he can't have. You saw how he looked when you reminded him about that Ministry of yours. He's going to be living off of us his whole life."

"He's _thirteen_, Robert--"

"Nearly fourteen."

"There's plenty of time for people's views to change." Mrs. Lupin smiled slightly, wrapping her arms around her husband.

"Meh…" Jane whispered, running to RJ's room. "RJ?" She asked, opening the door slowly. He sat up, the Prophet sitting next to him.

"Jane? What happened?" He asked, moving over for her. She launched at him, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

"I heard your parents talking and…I'm sorry for my mum, she was a jerk…You're perfectly capable of working at the Ministry. You should be able to work anywhere you want to! You wouldn't hurt a fly! I mean it! I've seen you let flies _outside_ instead of kill them!" She ranted, kissing him. She went on and on, ignoring his repetitive pleads for her to stop talking about it. "You're _completely _safe!"

"I'm _not!_ Jane, I'm not! You don't realize what I could do! My condition has more effects on me than just during the full moon!" He yelled, shoving the Prophet at her as he struggled to get up and out of her grip. "Did you see that?"

"RJ, the Prophet doesn't know shit about werewolves. They just make up crap to get people worried so the Ministry looks better when they fix the not so big problems eventually.

"They _killed_ people Jane! Innocent Muggles! Who do you think makes monsters like that? Why do you think we can't work at the ministry? Why do you think I hide at school?" RJ barked, standing in the center of his room now. Jane stared at him.

"Remus? What's gotten into you? Are you feeling ok?" She asked, moving to him. He knew she was worried; she only called him Remus when she really wanted his attention.

"Of course I'm not feeling well! We have O.W.L.s coming up--" He snapped, glaring at her

"In two years." She added confused.

"and I'm expected to ace them! When I _know_, if given the chance I'd rip out their throats. Just like…like him."

"Like who? Grayback? Grayback's nothing to worry about RJ; he's just a deranged--"

"You know nothing!" He lunged to her shoving her onto the floor.

"You're right I don't." Jane sniffed, scrambling to her feet. "You're right, I can't do anything right!" She screamed at him before taking off for the front door. He was right. Her mum was right. She knew it. She was a screw-up who couldn't even keep a werewolf, no a half blood, as her friend. She screwed up everything she touched. Her tears fell, burning her cheeks as she hit the cold air outside.

Slamming the Potter Manor's door behind her she wiped the tears away, hoping she could make it to her room without getting noticed.

"Where have you _been_?" Dora shouted storming into the entry way. Charlus took his wife's hand, trying to stop her.

"Dory?" He whispered, tugging her back to him.

"And where's your cloak?" She shrieked, jerking her hand away from her husband.

"Don't shriek. It's not lady like." Jane quoted her attacker.

"Don't you dare--" Dora continued.

"Bugger off." Jane snapped, storming up to her room.

"Jane Marie!" Charlus called after her, wrapping his arms around Dora. It was more to stop her from charging after their only daughter than for comfort.

"Janey?" James whispered watching from the top of the stairs. "Janey?" He asked louder as she stormed past him.

Needless to say that year's Christmas was like no other.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Hey Pretty Bird! Where's ol' Moony?" Sirius laughed, leaning his head over her shoulders, clutching them.

"I don't fucking know." Jane cursed, elbowing him off of her.

"Whoa! Potter! What's wrong? You and Moony get into a fight? You two _never_ fight." Sirius lowered his voice, wrapping an arm over her shoulders lightly.

"Yeah, well we are now so bugger off." She shifted her body, shaking him off of her.

"Ok, yeah, um…you need to talk or something--" Sirius started.

"I'd talk to Myrtle or _Peeves_ before I _ever_ talk to you. Now _bugger. Off._" She snapped, over the incoming train's whistle.

"I know more than you think Janey. I'm not just some spoiled little rich kid you know!"

"Right, because if you weren't a spoiled little _brat_ then you never would have runaway when you were ten! You've never had a hard day in your life, which is why you can't even _compute_ what I'm going through." She screamed. Sirius stood dumbfounded as she grabbed her trunk and took off for the train.

"She and Mooney broke up. She won't tell me why," James patted Sirius' shoulder. "And her and our mum did nothing but fight all holiday. Dad had to practically beg mum not to send Janey right back to Beauxbatons."

"She still fights with your mum? But that woman's a Saint." Sirius scoffed.

"A Black Saint. I mean, I love my mum to death but she's so concerned with making Janey as perfect as me that she's more like your mum than you'd notice. Come on; let's go find a compartment before all the good ones are full up." James patted Sirius' back, smiling suddenly. Sirius nodded his face unusually sullen.

The feast back at Hogwarts was everything but ordinary. Jane was sitting with lily as usual, though RJ and the Marauders were sitting at the other end of the Gryffindor table. Lily looked between her best girl mate and her charms partner.

"Are you two fighting? You two _never_ fight…" She whispered. Jane glanced up briefly before returning to scowl at her dinner, "Ok, you two are…wow. Janey, you ok?"

"I'm fine." She sighed, setting her fork down with a thud. Lily followed suit.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"No. I'm gonna go hang out at the pitch for a bit." Jane sighed, standing up.

"You want me to go with?" Lily asked, watching her carefully.

"No, I want to be alone." Jane smiled sadly. Lily nodded as Jane left, walking past the Marauder. She kept her eyes locked ahead of her, ignoring them as she passed. RJ locked his eyes on his plate, glancing briefly as she passed by before locking his eyes again on his plate.

"Meh…Jane…" Sirius whispered as she left. He dropped his fork and followed her straight away. RJ and James stared after him, confused.

"Jane!" Sirius called running to catch up to her jogging.

"What Black?" She snapped, stopping.

"Can we talk?" He asked, stopping in front of her.

"What about?" Jane scowled.

"You and Moony, ok? I mean…I know it's not my business, but--" Sirius started, seemingly worried.

"No, you're right. It _is_ none of your business, so bugger off! He made it perfectly clear that he doesn't want me around" She snapped.

"Aw, Janey…" Sirius frowned, "That's what's got you so upset?" He asked, wrapping his arms around her.

"Ugh! Get off!" Jane shoved him back, "I don't need your pity! Evidentially, you weren't so wrong about the damned coddling. He didn't like it and told me not to. He wants me gone so I'm staying the hell away from him."

Sirius stared at her, looking hurt, "Birdie…I'm so sorry, I didn't mean…"

"Forget it." Jane shook her head, her voice much softer. She turned to go toward the pitch, stopping when Sirius grabbed her hand. She stared at it and then him.

"You wanna play a match with me?" He smiled nervously. He wasn't used to talking this long with her without Jane punching him or him hitting on her.

"If you let go of my hand, and know that I'll probably fracture your skull…" Jane smiled tightly.

"How's that gonna be any different than in the common room?" He laughed, letting go of her hand and ruffling her hair instead. Jane scoffed, swatting his hand away.

"I don't typically have a beater's bat or a bludger in my hand in the common room." She scowled.

He smiled, "Hey, me either."

Jane rolled her eyes and continued toward the pitch, Sirius following at her heels.

The game went smoothly; Sirius was very impressed—and glad she wasn't allowed to try out until she'd been there a year, or else he might have been her second.

"You should probably have Madame P take a look at you…" Jane suggested, closing up the quidditch chest.

Sirius shrugged. "I'm fine; we don't have a match till next weekend." He smiled carefully; his cheek was already darkening from the forming bruise. Jane frowned, looking away, "What?"

She sighed, rolling her eyes, "Just go get cleaned up Black, else you'll get the couches all bloodied." She flipped her hair out of it's ponytail as she marched away.

"You were really pretty good out there." Sirius smiled, in no attempt to flirt.

"Thanks." Jane grumbled as he caught up with her.

"See ya inside Birdie." He laughed, ruffling her hair as he past.

Jane scowled at him, "Don't call me that!" She shouted after him.

"You know you love it, Jane!" Sirius laughed, running backwards now.

"Keep telling yourself that Sirius!" Jane shouted, fighting back a smile.

"I do. Why do you think I keep saying it?" He laughed, stumbling slightly as he reached the stairs.

"Watch where you're going or you'll break something!" She snickered slightly.

Sirius laughed, saluting her, "Ay, ay, Captain!" He turned and ran up the stairs and inside.

Jane shook her head, smiling as she moved up the stairs. She glanced by the Great Hall to see RJ and a Ravenclaw fifth year walk out. Jane frowned, looking away quickly. The Ravenclaw clung to RJ's arm, giggling with him as they headed for the library. RJ's smile fell, spotting Jane.

"Some friend." The fifth year mumbled, pulling RJ closer as they passed by Jane, who was obviously pretending her fellow Gryffindor didn't exist. RJ gave the girl a look as Jane clinched her teeth.

She moved up the stairs, bumping into a trio of sixth year boys. They laughed, heckling her immediately.

RJ stopped, pulling his arm away from the Ravenclaw. He glared at the boys as Jane rolled her eyes.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"Don't you lot have anything _better_ to do than heckle third year girls?" Jane scoffed, glaring up at them.

"Not when they're as pretty as you." One of the boys grinned, running a finger down her hair. Jane glared, biting her cheek as RJ growled quietly. Jane, who had only heard him sound like that when he was a few days from transforming, heard him perfectly.

"Leave her alone…" He whispered. Jane shook it off.

"And what makes you think you can get away with it?" She smiled innocently.

"What make you think you can do anything about it?" The boy looked her over this time, biting his lip.

"What makes _you_ think that it'll be _her_ who's gonna do anything?" Sirius folded his arms, marching down the steps and to Jane's side.

"Because I _can_ and _will_ curse you lot into the hospital wing for a week." Jane smiled.

"She'd do it too." Sirius nodded, leaning his arm onto her shoulder. He sent a look to RJ, wondering what was keeping him.

"Black, stay out of things that don't concern you." The boys scoffed turning and smiling to Jane, "And Sweetheart, you don't have a chance against us sixth years."

"Ooo, bad choice of words." Sirius winced, backing away from Jane and the boys.

That was all it took for Jane to start swinging, whipping out her wand and cursing the trio before they knew what was happening. Sirius laughed as they scrambled off.

"Nice Job birdie." Sirius smiled, watching RJ slip away out of the corner of his eye. She pocketed her wand and started walking again. "So that happens a lot?"

"It's none of your business." Jane grumbled.

"So, a lot huh?" Sirius frowned. Jane scowled as they walked. He took her hand lightly, "Want me to talk with the seventh year Gryffindors? See if they can ease any of it up a bit?"

Jane jerked her hand away, "Leave me alone, Black. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."

"What'd I do to make you hate me?" Sirius frowned, stopping at the last step. Jane stopped, sighing loudly. "Well?"

"You've been picking on me since I met you and you're just so…ugh! You just have such an easy time of everything." She groaned, turning to face him.

"Picked on you? No, ok…maybe I did a little but…Wait; _I_ have an easy time of everything? How? Since when?" He moved closer to her.

"Since day one!" She snapped, turning her mocking onto him. "Oh, the amazing Sirius Black! Every _bloody_ female in the school is in love with me. Everyone _loves_ me."

"No! Not…everyone." Sirius frowned, his face falling.

"Severus and the Slytherins don't count." Jane rolled her eyes.

"I didn't mean just them. 'Sides not _every_ female loves me. You and Lily…um…that one seventh year…um…Belatrix _hates_ me! And um…." Sirius struggled to prove her wrong.

"Whatever." Jane rolled her eyes, moving on again.

"Not everything is easy for me, and not everyone loves me, ok?" He called after her.

"You still _seem_ to have it easier than me." She stopped again, glancing back at him over her shoulder.

"Like with what?" Sirius snapped.

"Like with my mum! She hates me purely because I'm not like her! That I'm not the _perfect Potter_!" She turned and glared at him.

"Ok, yeah but…I get what you're going through at home. Doesn't _that_ count for anything?" His face fell farther, looking like a hurt puppy.

"You sure you do?" She scoffed.

"I do." He pleaded.

"You think my mum's fucking Saint." Jane snapped, avoiding his eyes.

"She's close to it." Sirius mumbled, moving to her again.

"You don't know _anything_ about her."

"You have no _idea_ what I know!" He snapped.

"Really? Why don't you tell me then?" She snapped back.

"You wouldn't understand. You're mum is a great woman. You're _lucky_ to have a family like that!" he shouted, storming past her.

"You don't know anything about what goes on there!" She shouted after him, storming the other way, to the common room.

Cynthia sat at one of the tables, doing her homework. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun as Jane sat in a chair, a quidditch book open in her lap.

"You're a mean bitch you know that?" Cynthia mumbled.

"Excuse me?" Jane asked, looking up.

"You heard me." Cynthia snipped, still doing her Defense Against the Dark Arts homework.

"And how am I so mean?" Jane rolled her eyes, marking her place in the book.

"Sirius cares about you for _some_ reason," The blonde rolled her eyes, "and you shove him away. He wants to be your _friend_ and _help_ you and all you do is be mean to him."

The brunette glared. "Then he should just take the hint. I don't want him to care about me _or_ be my friend. 'Sides he can't do anything to help anyway."

"You don't know that! Sirius Black is a _great_ guy."

"I do know my problems and that nobody else can fix 'em.

"God, you know maybe he _should_ take the hint because you don't _deserve_ a guy like Sirius. You're not worth his time!" Cynthia snapped, standing up.

"Good, then you should inform _him_ of that?" Jane glared.

"Why are you so broken?" Cynthia tossed her quill at Jane, leaving her things and heading to the girl's dorm.

"Meh…" Jane whispered picking the quill up off of the floor as the portal opened.

"Hey Jane I'm--" Sirius waved, lightly.

"Just missed your girlfriend." Jane mumbled.

"Oh, thanks…" He shrugged, moving to Cynthia's homework and copying down his needed answers. "I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier." He folded up his copy, putting it into his pocket. Jane shrugged, staring at the fire.

"Hey, look at it this way." Sirius smiled lightly, moving to the seat next to her. "Next year you can hook up with my little brother and plan my demise." He half joked, sitting with his feet over the arm of the chair.

"You're little brother?" She glanced over at him, her voice now curious and joking, "He's not a mini you is he?"

"Sadly, no, I failed at that. He does have my eyes though." Sirius shrugged.

Jane smiled small, "Well that's a relief. I'd have hated to have to break his face too."

"Nah, I'll probably just be doing that myself." He laughed, adding quietly, "Though my mum would hate that…"

Jane glanced up as the portal opened again, this time revealing RJ, "I should be getting to bed." She tossed Sirius Cynthia's quill and left quickly before RJ could really say anything to her.

"Night…" Sirius called after her disappointed.

RJ slumped into Jane's old chair, glancing at Sirius.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Thanks to Cream-90 for noticing the type-o. Also Ch 16 should HOPEFULLY be up soon.

Chapter 15

"_You_ wanna talk about what happened over holiday?" Sirius asked, sitting up right.

"I was a git." RJ sighed.

"Go on…" Sirius urged, moving to his side. RJ sighed and began to explain what had happened the last day Jane Potter and him had talked. Sirius frowned, side hugging him. "Just tell her you're sorry, Moony. She likes you _way_ more than me, I'm sure she wouldn't punch you."

"She won't even let me near her." RJ countered.

"Send her a howler then. Shout it from the school's tallest tower. You love her don't you?" Sirius scoffed, flicking RJ's temple.

"Ow…well, no…not like that at least." RJ admitted, rubbing his head.

"Really? You sure?" Sirius stared at him.

"Yeah." RJ sighed.

"Oh, huh…" Sirius pondered.

"I shouldn't have said those things to her though…" RJ shook his head.

"It couldn't have been your_ entire_fault." Sirius laughed lightly. RJ just cocked an eye at him, causing Sirius to stop laughing. "Birdie's got a mouth on her. She _must _have said something."

RJ shook his head fiercely. "Nothing that should have set me off like that."

"Then go tell her you're sorry. She's up in the girl's dorm. Go shout up the stairs to her." Sirius ruffled his newest mate's hair.

"She'll just tell me to bugger off…"

"Yeah, but at least you'll have apologized. That makes you the better man…wolf…wolf-man."

RJ sighed, moving to the Girl's dorm as Sirius moved to the Boy's. "Jane! Janey! Janey I'm sorry!" He shouted up the flight of stairs. Sirius smiled; surprised that he would do it.

"RJ! She's not up here, so please quit yelling some of us are trying to sleep!" Lily called. RJ's eyes shot wide, as Sirius stuck his head back down to watch him. RJ took off running, the portal slamming behind him.

"Jane! Janey?" RJ called stopping short at the sight of her bantering with a fourth year Slytherin, "Jane, can we talk?"

"Talk about _what_ Lupin?" She turned to him, venom dripping from her voice.

RJ frowned, surprised at how much his last name could hurt. "About what happened over break…"

"There's nothing to talk about. You made that _perfectly_ clear how you felt." She narrowed her eyes.

"No, I don't think I did…please, Janey…" RJ mumbled, surprised at her anger.

"You made it clear you wanted me to leave you alone, so that's what I'm doing." She scowled.

"Vixy, that's not what I meant…sort of…" He mumbled.

"Then what _did _you mean, _Lupin_?" She crossed her arms.

"I just…" He sighed, lowering his voice, "Grayback's bad news and…can't we just talk about this in private?"

Jane sighed, and trudged off to a nearby corridor, "Ok." She sighed, leaning against the wall, her arms pressed tight against her chest.

"I'm scared Janey. I don't want to be like him, but the Prophet…and my mum and dad…and then how I acted to you…" RJ admitted, his eyes pleading. "I don't want to be that person…"

"Remus, you're not like him." Jane sighed, dropping her arms to her side.

"I'm sorry I hurt you Vixy…"

"RJ…"

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…"

Jane rushed to him, wrapping her arms around him. "I just…I shouldn't have taken it so personally."

"I shouldn't have done it in the first place." RJ mumbled, hugging her back.

"I'm sorry..." She whispered

"Me too." RJ smiled slowly, "Can we just forget it happened?"

She smiled back, "Sure."

RJ nodded, breaking their hug. "So, Sirius bugging you?"

"Doesn't he always?" She shrugged.

"True." He laughed. "Christmas bad?"

"Yeah." She grimaced, avoiding his eyes.

He took and squeezed her hand, "I'm sorry. I'll owl your mum. I'll explain everything to her! I'll--"

Jane shook her head wildly, "Don't. She was just…being her."

"I'm sorry…she wasn't horrible was she?" RJ squeezed her hand again.

"No worse than normal." Jane shrugged.

"Good." He smiled. Jane smiled, wrapping her arms around him again. He hugged her back, "I think I'm gonna work with Muggles for a bit."

"Really?" Jane beamed.

"Yup. I mean, of course I'm gonna ace my O.W.L.s and my N.E.W.T.s, but that's just to prove I can." RJ explained.

"Good."

"Your dad still against you being an auror?" RJ asked as they started back for the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Yeah. He thinks it's too dangerous and that I'll just get hurt." She grimaced.

"Everyone could." RJ put in, adding "You'll hurt the bad guys too."

"Yeah, but he doesn't think that." She laughed.

"Ok, then you and me. We'll start our own secret Muggle defense group." RJ joked.

Her eyes lit up, "RJ! What if we _did_start an organization?" She grinned, "You know I want to fight against Voldemort."

"Janey…" He eyed her.

"We could hold meetings and we could recruit aurors and other witches and wizards too who are of age to help us…"

"Jane…" RJ watched her carefully.

"What?" She beamed at him.

"Voldemort's no joke. He's bad…" He lowered his voice again, "Grayback's bad news."

She hugged him, whispering, "I know, I've been watching them close."

He pulled away, "That's not some code is it?"

"What could that possibly be code for?" She frowned.

"Doing dangerous things." He whispered.

Jane shook her head. "All I've been doing is keeping track of his movements and passing the information to the ministry."

"Guess I'll have to help then. But could we hold off for a bit? Till _after_O.W.L.s?" RJ sighed.

"We need to act soon…"

"Summer after 5th year, but no sooner. We're _way_too young to die." RJ frowned.

"We won't die." Jane smiled.

"Promise?" He eyed her.

"Have I ever been wrong before?" She draped an arm around his shoulders.

"Not yet, no…"

"Trust me." She kissed his cheek.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Jane settled in the seat closest to the window in the Gryffindor Common room, pulling her things out for her homework.

"You're defiantly going to be pretty when you grow up." Sirius winked at a giggling second year as her friends stared at her and each other—both shocked and envious.

Jane scoffed, rolling her eyes, causing Sirius to glance up at her. He kissed the second year's cheek and moved to Jane's table.

"Hey Birdie. You and Moony make up yet?" He smiled.

"Yeah." She smiled back as the second years giggled loudly up the stairs. He leaned toward her, smirking.

"Made up or _made up_?" He teased. Jane laughed lightly, smacking his arm out from under him. "Either that's a no or it wasn't very good" H laughed louder, wrapping an arm around her waist as he now leaned over her.

"Shut up. We did not _make up_." She turned her attention back to her book quickly.

"Janey…" He whispered, before he let her go, sitting close to her in a seat instead. "Ease up birdie. What's wrong?" His hand brushed strands of hair out of her face, slowly playing with her hair.

She sighed, turning to look at him. For a moment she thought she saw his eyes sincerely concerned about her, and for that same moment her heart began to beat faster and she couldn't help but smile a little at him. "It's nothing."

"Come on. What's up?" He patted her hand, flashing a smile that combined both his real and his flirty smiles into one.

"Meh…My mum sent me a howler earlier." She shook her head, her body going rigid as she felt him press close to her as he hugged her tightly.

"You do anything to deserve it?" He asked, smoothing her hair down her back.

"Existed." Jane rolled her eyes, shifting out of the hug.

He laughed, ruffling her hair, "Cheer up. She can't do anything if you're here."

Jane smiled slightly. There was something in the way that he said it that made Jane feel like he truly meant it. He wasn't just speaking, but he actually meant what he was saying. There was some kind of experience hidden in his comfort.

"_And you know there's a spell_." He whispered, into her ear. Jane eyed him again. All of her thoughts of him being sweet and deep were quickly vanishing. "It makes 'em sing to and not scream."

"Really?" She smiled. And with that the feelings were quickly returning.

"Yup. Want it?" Sirius laughed, grabbing her quill, dipping it quickly into her ink and scribbling it into her book.

"Thanks Sirius." She smiled, confused at how fast her heart was racing now, and at how soft his hair suddenly looked.

"Anytime." He laughed, ripping the corner out and slipping it into her hand. She smiled, putting it into her pocket.

"Amy!" Sirius whistled whipping his head quickly toward the girl's dorm so fast that Jane thought his neck would break. The sixth year winked at him as she passed by with her friends. Jane rolled her eyes, more disappointed in how all the older girls treated Sirius as if he was the fourth year he appeared to be He stared after her, watching her every move. Jane rolled her eyes. As the portal closed behind the girl he smiled at Jane. "What?"

"Don't you have a girlfriend already?" Jane scoffed.

"So?" He eyed her.

"Shouldn't you be getting with _her_ instead of flirting with all of the other girls?" She scoffed.

Sirius scoffed, "Like she doesn't flirt with the other boys." He smiled cocky, "'Sides I spend _plenty_ of time with her. Just ask the Gryffindor Boys."

"Ugh. I don't want to know." She whined.

"You asked." He laughed.

"Didn't mean like _that_." She shoved him lightly.

"Like you don't have your pick of the boys."

"That's not the point." She laughed.

"Just saying." He winked.

"I'm gonna go play chess with RJ then, before you get creepier." She laughed, gathering her unused books and things.

"_Sure_ you are."

She left him, moving to James on the other side of the common room.

"Have you seen RJ?" She asked him, interrupting his reading.

"I think he's in the Boy's Dorm with Lily. Something about their Charms Class." He glanced up at her.

"Oh, ok. I'll leave him alone then." She sat next to him on the couch.

"Why? It's just Charms."

"You know how much he hates it when people interrupt his studying." Jane smiled.

"It's just him and Lily. He'd get over it." James marked his place, and set his book on the floor.

"I just got through fighting with him. I'm not going to bug him _yet_." Jane shoved her twin lightly.

He laughed, "Hey! It never stops you with me."

"You're my brother. It's Ok for me to pick on you." She laughed, ruffling his hair. He attempted to squirm away.

"Don't touch the hair!" He laughed.

"Aww, why not?" Jane teased, ruffling it again.

"You'll mess it up, duh!"

Jane laughed, talking him to the floor. James laughed, rough housing back. Jane pinned him quick. "Now, what Jamesie-kins?"

"Shut up!" James laughed squirming under her.

"That's your name, isn't it?" She teased, grinning wildly.

"Only to mum!"

"Why can't _I_ call you that then?"

"You're not _mum!_ Duh!"

"But I'm your sister…"

"Not mum!"

Jane laughed as her brother squirmed away from her.

"You think Lily'd help me with _my_ charms?" He asked, fixing his hair.

"I'll ask if she'll help you with your Charms _homework_." Jane laughed, making her way to the Boy's dorm. She knocked lightly on the wall as she came in, stopping short. Lily sat with RJ on his bed, both cross-legged. He leaned forward and pointed at a page in the book. Lily watched him as he explained the Charm, shifting closer to him slightly. Jane smiled, noticing the small movement.

"Hey Lils." She called to them, making the couple jump.

"Hey!" Lily blushed.

"Hey." RJ looked back down at his work, once he realized it was her.

"James wants to know if you'll help him with his Charms homework next." Jane smiled, leaning on the bed post.

"Um…" Lily looked to RJ for help.

"We're done here. You've got this Charm figured out; it wouldn't hurt anything if you helped James." RJ nodded, packing up his things.

"Yeah, sure." Lily said, her voice barely hiding the disappointment from RJ. She packed her things quickly.

"He's downstairs…" Jane informed her, slowly, unsure what she'd done.

"Thanks." Lily nodded, fleeing.

"You wanna play some chess RJ?" Jane asked, taking Lily's place on the bed.

"Sure." He nodded. He reached under the bed, pulling out a Muggle chess board and two bags of pieces. He handed Jane the white, and began to set his pieces up. "Do you know if Lily likes anyone?"

"Not that I know of. But you do, don't you?" Jane smirked, glancing up at him.

"What? Me? No, no, no, I—I—I just…she's nice but I—I—I--" He stuttered, his hand shaking as he placed his last pawn.

"Do you?" She repeated, her smirk growing.

"It doesn't matter." He groaned as Jane followed.

"Remus John, why not?" She frowned, cutting him off before the look he shot her was followed by words. "And don't you _dare_ say it's because of your _condition_."

"He called dibs." He sighed, moving his piece to counter hers.

"Who called what?" She asked, moving her knight out.

"James. He called dibs. Ages ago." RJ reasoned, shaking his head.

"You can't call _dibs_ on a person." Jane scowled.

"Doesn't matter." He sighed, "James likes her."

"Yeah, but who does _she_ like?"

"Probably someone like James. He's rich, girls like him, he's a pureblood, and a great Quidditch player."

"Yeah, who is also obnoxious, annoying and makes most sane people—including Lily frequently—want to hit him."

"I said _like_ him." RJ groaned, causing Jane to lean across the board and hug him.

"You don't know that, and 'sides if James really likes her that bad he'll get over it that you like her. She's made it pretty clear she doesn't like him." Jane smiled, settling back on her side of the board. RJ beamed across at her, moving his piece. "And that's check."

RJ laughed moving his piece, "You think she'll say yes?"

"The worst that'll happen is she'll say no." Jane grinned. "Go for it."

"Check mate." RJ cheered as he slammed his queen down before running downstairs.

Jane laughed, as she stared at the board. She glanced up at the doorway, growing slightly worried as she didn't hear anything from downstairs, but she took it as a good sign he wasn't back up there yet.

He ran to her, wrapping his arms around her once he returned.

"Hogsmade! This weekend!" He cheered.

"Brilliant!" Jane laughed, turning around and wrapping her arms around him.

"And I talked to James a bit; he told me he's not upset. He did warn me that this doesn't mean he won't stop hitting on her, but that's ok. She said yes to me. Me!" He laughed.

"I'm really bloody happy for you." Jane laughed.

"You should ask Severus to come too!" RJ grinned.

"What?" Jane pulled back.

"Yeah, we'll double date. Me and Lily. You and Severus."

"But--"

"You do like him right?" He laughed when her eyes wouldn't meet his. "You _do_ like him! Go ask him! Remember the worst that can happen is him saying no."

"Meh, RJ…" Jane groaned as he pushed her toward the doorway.

"Go!" He laughed, pushing her one last time.

Lily smiled at Jane as she passed by. Jane groaned as she left, her brother oblivious—his attention torn in tow directions: his homework and the body next to him.

"Hey Jane." Severus smiled, moving over so she could sit with him at the table he was at in the great hall.

"Hey Sev." Jane smiled, sitting next to him. "So, RJ has this crazy notion that you might, possibly like me." She chuckled lightly.

"What? Why would he…how do you feel about that?" He glanced away.

"He also seems to think that _I _like _you_ too." She admitted, picking at the threads of James' old quidditch shirt.

"Do you?" Severus asked, glancing at her. A glimmer of hope was in his voice.

"What if I did?" She asked, looking up at him, her hands still fiddling with the thread.

"I wouldn't laugh at you…"

"What would you do?" She dropped the thread.

"Probably smile." He admitted, setting his quill down.

"Well I do like you." She smiled.

Severus returned it quickly, "And I _am_ smiling." He chuckled.

Jane leaned forward, kissing him lightly. Her heart smiled when he returned it.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Sorry for the delay. I thought after NanoWriMo I would be able to post again, but then my finals were harder than I expected and life just got in the way. This is NOT ABANDONED. I repeat. Jane's Tale IS NOT ABANDONED. I promise you I will finish this story. Thank You. And let me know what you think.

Chapter 17

Third year flew by. Jane's first taste of finals at Hogwarts proved she was well on her way to becoming the auror she wanted to be after school. Sirius and James on the other hand were in need of buckling down if they wanted any job after Hogwarts. That summer Jane saw less of Sirius and of her brother. She was fine with this, except for when her mother decided that her brother's absence, of course, had to be due to Jane.

That was what sent her fleeing to Severus'. She knocked on the door, wiping her eyes. She didn't want him to pity her, even if she did want his sympathy. A tall woman opened it. She must have been Severus' mother. Her hair was jet black and hung long down her back; it looked silkier than Severus' but their faces were nearly identical—except for their noses. Jane figured he must have inherited that trait from his father.

"We don't want any." She snipped, eyeing Jane suspiciously.

"I'm not selling anything." Jane shot back. Her face softened, "Is Severus here?"

"Yes." She answered, studying the stranger.

"Can I go talk to him?" Jane struggled to control her temper. His mum seemed almost as rude as her own.

"And do I have the right to know who is calling on my son?" She crossed her arms.

"Jane Potter. I go to school with Sev. I'm his girl…I'm his friend." Jane explained, balling her fists up in her pockets.

"Potter?" She asked, in a voice that was either shock and disbelief or skepticism and hostility.

"Dora _nee_ Black and Charlus Potter's daughter." Jane sighed. _Great, she's a pureblood fanatic._ Jane thought as she noticed Mrs. Snape's face light up.

"Of course! Of course! How could I have been so mistaken? Come in, come in. Care for some tea?" She rambled, stepping aside. Jane stepped inside the dusky house. It was much smaller on the inside.

"Um, sure. Where's Sev?" Jane asked, unsure how to take the woman's sudden change.

"He's upstairs in his room. Studying as hard as ever. I do apologize if I seemed rude. We've been having… _friends_ of some of the neighbor girls' come over. They've been acting rather foul to Severus. Muggle girls don't seem to understand him like we do."

"Yeah." Jane smiled, making her way toward Severus' room. She edged up the stairs, studying the occasional picture of the Snapes. They were placed so that the older photographs were closer to the top of the stairs. The family seemed to grow sadder as they aged. "_Sev_…" Jane whispered as she reached the one room the second floor had.

The door was labeled in tattered parchment; that was written on with a child-like scrawl. She knocked on the door, glancing out the window in the corner. Suddenly, her reason for coming had become stupid.

"Jane?" Severus asked, surprised. She whipped her head to face him, just as surprised to see him poking his head around the side of his door—as if he was afraid of whom might have been there. He opened it wider, smiling. "Come in."

Jane smiled, going in. His room was mostly bare, his Hogwarts trunk sat in the corner closest to her and a mattress sat on the other side, the sheets bundled up at the end and school books and parchments covered the rest, leaving him little room to sit with them.

"Sorry about the mess." Severus apologized, scratching his head. He rushed to the bed, gathering up his things to make room for her.

"This is your room?" Jane asked, surprised. She'd known that his family wasn't wealthy, but neither was Lily's.

"Yeah…" He scratched his head again, glancing around the room.

"It's nice." She smiled, going over to him. "Mind if I hang out here a while? My mum's being…herself."

"Yeah. Yes, of course." He frowned, putting an arm around her. "You need to talk?"

"No she's just…meh, James and Sirius have been off doing something all summer and my mum's got it into her head that I've influenced him into doing something he shouldn't." Jane grumbled, sitting down on the mattress. Severus sat with her, taking her hand in his.

"She does that a lot? Get on to you for stuff Potter's doing?" He asked, concerned.

"Not a _lot_. But yeah, lately…She's worried about James. She coddles him _far_ too much." Jane rolled her eyes. Severus nodded.

The two sat there in his room, mostly quiet—even when they picked up on his Potion's homework, they worked mostly in silence.

"Severus! Your father's home!" his mother called up the stairs.

"You have to go! I'm sorry." He shot to his feet, scattering his parchments and books.

"Sev?" Jane asked, standing up.

"My dad's not a big fan of people coming over. Especial us. I'm sorry." He opened the door for her.

"Yeah. I get it. Don't worry." Jane smiled, kissing Severus' cheek as she left.

"Goodbye Mrs. Snape." Jane nodded as she passed by, Severus rushing her to the door. He opened it to reveal a man with a nose as distinct as Severus'. "Hello." Jane stopped short, not wanting to run into him.

"Dad!" Severus gulped.

"Severus. Who's this?" the man asked.

"This is Jane Potter. She was just leaving though so…"

"I'll see you on the train?" Jane asked as Severus edged her around his father.

"Yeah." He smiled.

"Good." She grinned at Severus as his father stepped inside the house, slamming the door behind him.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: I understand this may feel a bit forced, but I've lost a bit of momentum over the break in writing and I hope to get it back soon.

Chapter 18

Jane dusted the soot and excess Floo powder off.

"Mum's looking for you." James commented as he passed. He was covered in dirt and mud, the only slightly clean part about him were his glasses, and only just.

"Of course she is." Jane groaned, "What happened to you?"

"Sirius, Peter and I were goofing off in that field down the road. Playing this Muggle game. Rugby. Basically you just hit each other."

"Yeah." She said shortly. She knew he was lying. She just didn't know why, or what about. She straightened her clothes as she moved toward the kitchen.

"Hello there Janey." Mad-eye Moody sipped his tea, his magic Eye studying her.

"Mad-eye!" Jane cheered, running to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, giggling. "You haven't been here in _ages_!"

"Jane, you're covered in soot and you're hanging all over him." Charlus pointed out, pouring his own cup. Jane smiled, rushing to her father. "And now me." He laughed as her momentum almost caused him to spill the tea.

"Oops, sorry, Daddy. You're home early. What's the occasion?" She beamed, finally letting go of him.

"Your mother--" He started, moving to the table with Moody.

"You couldn't have a least cleaned up first?" Dora snipped, her arms crossed and her lips thin. She reminded Jane of the time she accidentally stored Nifflers in Professor McGonagall's office and forgot to let them out for their walks.

"James said you wanted to talk to me. I thought it'd be rude to make you wait." Jane crossed her arms, leaning against the counter.

"Stand up straight young lady! And don't give me that lip! We have company!" Dora snapped, her hands now on her hips.

Jane could feel her eyes roll before she could stop them, "It's just Mad-eye, mum." She grumbled.

"Don't roll your bloody eyes at me!" Dora screeched. "His _name_ is _Mr. Moody_!"

"His name's Uncle Alastor!" Jane shot back, her body straightening as it tensed.

"Dora, you know I don't mind her nicknames for me." Moody said, standing up, his tea unusually sitting unguarded on the table.

"She needs to learn _respect_ Alastor." Dora narrowed her eyes at her husband's decade's long partner.

"She's the most mature child I've ever met!" Moody snapped, causing both women to jump. Charlus looked up slowly at his partner.

"Alastor, it's alright. Sit down and drink your tea." He said, following his own advice.

"How very British of you, Muggle." Alastor cursed, causing Charlus' eyes to shoot back up. "Your wife's screeching at your daughter and your advice is to shut up and drink your blasted tea?"

"Alastor!" Charlus scoffed, amused. "It's just one of your bad days. Sit and drink your tea."

Jane stared as her father, typically the first to side with her, sat there letting her mum yell at her for nothing. Alastor "Mad-eye" Moody was standing up for her. Literally.

"Daddy…" Jane looked at him shocked.

"Where have you been all afternoon? Without permission?" Dora continued.

"With Severus! You know my _boyfriend_?" Jane snapped, her head shooting back toward her mother.

"You've spent the whole day alone with your boyfriend? What am I going to do with you? Do you _want_ to get _pregnant_ and expelled?" Dora spat.

"We didn't fucking do anything!" Jane screamed, moving toward her mum, stopping only after the feeling of her mother's palm connected with her.

"Don't you _ever_ speak to me that way!" She shot back, her eyes burning as she lowered her hand.

"Dora!" Charlus snapped, finally on his feet.

"Like what? Like you fucking speak to me all the bloody time? Like you're some kind of blood traitor? Like you're no better than the bastard child from down the road?" Jane screamed, her eyes clouding over as she struggled to hold back her tears.

"Get out! Get out of this house! I will not allow you to disrespect this family in this way! Get out until you can appreciate what we've given you!" Dora snapped, turning on her heel and marching out of the room.

"Dora!" Charlus pleaded.

Jane ran out next and up the stairs to her room. James opened the bathroom door rubbing a towel over his hair. He froze as his sister shot past him, her tears evident.

Moody shook his head and began to follow her, looking at Charlus before he left. "Someone has to be her father." He said simply.

Jane ran into her room, slamming her door behind her, sinking to the floor against it. The tears streamed as she pulled her knees to her chest. She rubbed her cheek tentatively, she was sure it would bruise. "It's nothing worse than a quidditch match. Then why does it hurt so much?" She whispered, looking up from her knees and to her wall of Quidditch posters. The Chuddly Cannons flying laps around their home field.

"Janey, I want you to pack your things. You're coming to live with me." Moody explained simply, before his distinct footsteps trailed off away from her door.

Jane got to her feet, wiping her eyes roughly. She knew there would be plenty of time to cry about it later. She grabbed her trunk, tugging it over to her along with her bewitched bag.

"Janey?" James asked, poking his head in. His hair was still wet, dripping even. She glanced at him, noticing as he moved farther into her room that he was only half dressed, wearing his oldest pair of jeans. She suspected they were the only ones he had clean.

"Why are you moving in with Mad-eye?" He laughed, flopping on her bed.

"Because." She answered, gruffly, shoving her school things into the trunk.

"Janey? Why are you leaving?" He asked, sitting up. His eyes studied her, worried.

"Because I just am! Now go do something useful and leave me alone." She snapped, moving to her dresser.

"Have you told Moony?" James asked, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed.

"Not yet. I will." Jane groaned, packing more of her clothes. She wasn't even paying attention to what she was packing.

"Why are you leaving Janey?" James frowned, getting to his feet.

"Why can't you just mind your own business?" Jane snapped, slamming her trunk closed.

"Because my sister's leaving me, and I don't know why!" James snapped back.

"Just bugger off and leave me the fuck alone!" Jane screamed at him.

James stared at her, bewildered. "Janey, what'd I do?"

"Not leave me alone for starters!" She yelled again, shoving him out her door. She slammed it behind her, the tears falling slower this time as she finished packing.

She had changed clothes and double checked on all of her necessities before she made her way downstairs to Moody.

"I'm ready." She nodded, avoiding her mother's glares.

"We'll miss you sweetie. I'll talk to your mother and you'll be home by Christmas." Charlus whispered, hugging his daughter closer.

Jane nodded, knowing even her father couldn't change her mum's mind about this. Not any time soon, at least. She glanced over her shoulder and noticed James wasn't watching them. He wasn't anywhere nearby. She wasn't surprised, James never stood up for her to their mum. He just acted like it wasn't happening because it'd keep the peace, just like their father, and those were only the fights that he was there for. The boy seemed incapable of hearing anything thing behind closed doors. He'd been smothered his whole life that "Precious Jamesie-kins" could do no wrong in their mum's eyes. Their father was a different story, he hated how James followed blindly, never taking a risk, never putting his whole effort into something. But none of this changed the freezing feeling that was forming in Jane's stomach.

"Let's go." Moody's gruff voice broke her thoughts. "Jane?" He stretched out his arm for her.

"Yeah. Right." She nodded, gripping her trunk and his arm. She sucked in a deep breath as she felt a strong pull in her navel.

She gasped as she felt her feet hit dirt. She stumbled forward slightly. "Mad-eye, you really don't have to do this." He shook his head, his Eye searching around them.

They stood just inside a fenced in yard. A dirt path lead to a modest cottage, the grass out front had long ago died, and vines grew around the fence, intertwining with the gate. Jane studied it, somehow it was completely different, and yet the same, as where she'd always thought he'd live.

"Don't mention it." He frowned. "Now come along. It's not safe to stay out here."

"Mad-eye, you really didn't have to though. Dad's been through a lot with you and mum's been trying to change me for ages--" She followed Moody as they made their way inside.

"Jane Marie! I said don't mention it. I meant it." He half heartedly snapped. Jane smiled, moving her fingers over her lips in a "zipping" motion. "Just come on, Potter."

Jane nodded and followed her god-father into her new home.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Another short one, I know. I have a paper coming up, so it may take a while for the next chapter. I hope not, but if so, now you know.

Chapter 19

"There's a room at the top of the stairs for you." Mad-eye explained, removing his cloak and hanging it up. His wand, which was typically tucked close to his hip, wasn't there. Jane frowned, noticing, her hand slowly moved to her own hip. Her own wand tucked securely against her.

"You really didn't have to do this." Jane whispered as she looked around the unfamiliar room. Alastor "Mad-eye" Moody had been a part of her life since the beginning. Jane knew her father and Mad-eye had been partners almost as long as her father had been out of training. She knew he wasn't much older than her father, but he always acted as if he was.

"Your parents and I had talked about it, Jane. We were going to have you move in next month. Your mother was _supposed_ to just mention it to you. Let you think about it a while." Mad-eye caved. Jane gaped at him.

"Mum was gonna let me move in with you?" She asked, nearly dropping the picture in her hand.

"She thought about sending you to one of her cousins first—"

"Sissy." Jane hissed.

"—but I suggested that you come here. I am your godfather." He ignored her interruption, sitting in a chair and propping his right leg up. "It just got a bit out of hand." He laughed lightly.

"A bit?" Jane frowned, turning back to the picture she was still holding. She knew aurors were often hurt in battles, and she knew that Mad-eye had been fighting as hard as any of them, but the sight of him letting his guard down even a little shook Jane. She knew she had to do something to help. "What happened to your leg?" She asked, setting the picture down and turning to him.

"A few too many stupefies." He tapped his mahogany walking stick against the ground, sending a kettle to the fire.

"Sorry…" Jane mumbled, her eyes studying him. He looked much older in the light; his red hair looked nearly all grey. The fire's shadows deepened his wrinkles. She had to help him fight, before he lost more limbs. Before he lost his life. Before her father lost _his_ life. The real question was how? She'd promised RJ they wouldn't fight until they were older.

_I promised him I wouldn't get other _people_ fighting… _Jane thought.

"Hey Mad-eye, who's this?" She held out the picture she'd been studying. It was a young woman, not more than eighteen or twenty. She smiled brightly, laughing as she hugged a man who was about her age. His hair hung long, but out of his eyes as he wrapped one arm around her and held up a badge. His gaze kept switching between the woman and the camera.

"My late wife. Winifred. She died five years after that was taken. This is a serious business Jane. It's not about whipping out wands and shouting spells. You'll get hurt. More than once. People you trust will turn on you or die next to you. People you love will spend their lives worried about you. It's an abuse on your body and your mind." He eyed her, both eyes focused on her own.

"I know Alastor. I've seen my dad work there for years. And I'm sure my body can take the abuse. I've lived with my mum for nearly fourteen years now. Dark wizards don't hold a candle to her." Jane sneered slightly, setting the picture back in its place. A silence settled over the room, only broken once the kettle whistled.

"Tea?" Moody asked, lowering his leg down.

"I'll get it for you." Jane offered, rushing to the fire.

"Don't pour it—" He started.

"Don't pour it into the cup. I know." Jane smiled, picking the kettle up carefully with a glove that rested near the Floo powder.

That night Jane made her way with her things up the stairs, surprised to find how unsurprised she was at the setting. The walls were bare. She figured with his leg like it was he wouldn't be able to get up to the second floor unless he apparated. Jane shook her head, the events of the day finally beginning to resurface. After so many years of fighting, Jane was partially glad to be away from it. To live with Moody, was something she'd wanted since she was a little girl. She looked up to him, just like James did for Albus Dumbledore. Thinking of her brother made the ice return to her stomach. She found the room, one directly a top of the stairs, and made her way inside. It was empty, only an already made bed and a dresser sat in the murkiness. A high window sat on the wall next to the bed, the moon shining down enough light to see by.

She sat down on the bed, the clean sheets spelled strong in the stale air. She ran a hand through her hair, stopping when she realized how long it had gotten. She knew what she had to do. To protect Mad-eye. To protect her father. And to protect James. The stars knew something bad was about to happen to her, and to her family. And James was going to be a large part, but of what Jane had no clear idea. She sighed, forcing the thoughts of the day behind her. She knew that if she focused on them it would only end in tears.

Jane looked around at her new room. She knew she could make do.

"And if I could ever sneak Mad-eye's wand away…" Jane whispered to herself, her eyes catching something on the dresser. A wand. Mahogany 13 inches. "Mad-eye, you didn't…" She ran to it, beaming. "_Prior incantium_" She cast, causing sparks to shot out. "Stupefy….Mad-eye you did."

She now knew how she could help; with Alastor Moody's wand the ministry would have no idea that it was an underage witch doing the magic. It was perfect. If you didn't take into account the skill of the other wizards.

Practically giddy Jane rushed to her trunk and dug out her spell books. She had practice to do.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Jane walked the corridors searching for a compartment to sit in. She smiled at the familiar bark of Sirius Black's laugh. She would have never thought she would be happy to hear Sirius Black, but where he was the other Marauders were sure to be. She felt her legs move faster as she subconsciously ran toward them. She laughed slightly, at how excited she was to hear the prat. It was for James. Moreover, RJ. Just James and RJ, she continued to remind herself. She had not missed Sirius Black, not in the slightest. She didn't care about him, all he did was hit-on her and she was with Severus Snape now. The door flew open, causing James to glance up from his magazine. Jane grinned as she looked around the compartment. Her smile dropped as she saw what was so funny to Sirius. He sat with his arm around Cynthia as she sat on his lap, her arms around his neck, whispering into his ear. The two were in their own world as they whispered into the other's ear, Sirius' hand played with Cynthia's hair. James glared at Jane as she stood there.

"Bugger off, brat." He grunted, returning to his four-year-old magazine. Sirius glanced over at his best mate, and to Jane. Jane forced the confusion and hurt down as she turned her eyes on RJ.

"Hey RJ." She forced a smile.

"Hey, Jane. Summer busy?" He asked, glancing between her brother and her. She could tell he was hurt she would never owled him, but it seemed he was more concerned about James at the moment. Jane cursed herself for forgetting about him, though she knew he would understand. He knew how she got whenever she felt like things fell into place, and once he found out about her new living arrangements. But she knew it would be a while before she told him, the last thing she needed was his pity.

"A bit yeah. Everything go okay for you?" She asked, tossing a chocolate frog at him. He smiled as he caught it.

"Yeah, last week was kind of bad but—" RJ started, opening the chocolate.

"I said bugger off!" James snapped, turning the page. The compartment looked at him, and his eyes never left his magazine. Whoever "The Beatles" were, was keeping his attention focused.

"I'll see you at the feast I guess, then?" Jane gave in.

"Yeah." RJ nodded. Jane turned to leave as she caught site of Cynthia and Sirius again. Sirius was whispering in her ear, and his hand in her hair. Cynthia giggled, only one of her arms now around his neck.

Jane rolled her eyes, flicking her wand at the couple sending them apart. "Eels." She grumbled as she shut the compartment door behind her.

"Don't touch me rat!" Cynthia shouted as she scrambled to get up from Peter's lap. Sirius got to his feet, eyeing James worriedly.

Jane stuffed her hands into her pockets, continuing her search for a compartment. She smiled when she caught sight of Lily poking her head out of her compartment.

"Jane!" Her best girl mate cheered, waving her over.

"Hey!" Jane waved back, hurrying toward her.

The two Gryffindor girls giggled as they hugged, hurryingly telling the other of their summer. Jane smiled, Lily's summer had not been much better than her own. Lily told her of how her fighting with Petunia continued; apparently, she had met some bloke--Vernon something-or-other. Severus soon joined them, smiling at Jane as they took their seats in an empty compartment. Lily watched the two of them in silence as she pretended to read her book, only mentioning anything to Jane once they were out of the carriages and back inside the Great Hall for the start of another year.

"Are you and Severus…?" Lily whispered as she and Jane took their seats at the Gryffindor table.

Jane sent one last wave to Severus before turning to answer Lily, "Dating? Yeah." She nodded, smiling.

"That's adorable!" Lily cheered, throwing her arms around the Potter. "I'm so happy for you two." She added, settling back into her own space.

"What are we happy about?" Sirius chuckled, draping an arm over Jane's shoulder.

"My business, not yours." Jane replied, shrugging him off.

"Right, come on, Birdie, you can talk to me. We're friends, right?" He flashed her a smile as he sat next to her.

"Friends? You and me?" She couldn't help but laugh, "Friends don't try to get into another friend's robes."

"You obviously don't know how comfortable I am with Moony then." He laughed, "So, what are we happy about, _friend_?"

"Me and my boyfriend, now bugger off." Jane sighed, hoping the new information would chase him off.

"Boyfriend? You really do get around, don't you Jane?" He laughed, "Maybe one of these days you'll work your way to me. I know I wouldn't let you go." He smiled at her, running a few fingers over her arm lightly. Jane rolled her eyes at him, despite how the gesture made her heart beat.

"Too bad I don't see that _ever_ happening, Black. Now go run along before James and Cynthia get worried."

"You know you like me." He whispered quickly before heading, just a few seats down, to his girlfriend's waiting arms.

_ Maybe in your dreams…_ Jane thought to herself.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

The year passed, and Jane and James continued their silence. The Marauders and Lily worried about their respective mates, but neither of them asked much. RJ confronted Jane once and she admitted to be living with Mad-Eye, but she didn't go into much detail as to the reasons behind the move. Whenever Jane wasn't with Severus, Lily or RJ, she was in empty classroom training. That Christmas Holiday Jane put her training to its first, having just mastered the use of _Stupify_.

Dressed in a fitted, all black outfit she went out of her room and thanked Merlin for Mad-Eye's absence. She dug out an old map she had found and began to pray she didn't splice herself as she attempted to apparate. Jane landed in one piece, though her shoe did end up next to her and not on her foot as it should have been. She had been reading up on the process of apparation. Closing her eyes tightly as she shoved her foot into her shoe once more, Jane's body began to shrink, changing into the form of a reddish-brown fox. She had tried to tell James of her animagi the previous year, but had never gotten around to trying to let him know again. Jane ran swiftly through the brushes as the aurors fought against the dark cloaked men. She stood, her fox body used to the quick changes back to human,

"_Stupify_!" She shouted from the darkness, smirking as the man she struck was captured by a young auror. She shouted another spell, and another, as she ran and dodged the countering spells. Jane let out a laugh as she pulled her hood over her head, hiding her face in the shadow. She ran full blast at her opponents, punching and kicking at them before they could hit her. As the aurors began to regain control and notice Jane's presence, she quickly turned back into her fox form and ran away into the darkness as she now had to doge the blasts from the Ministry.

Jane cursed quietly as she returned to her room at Mad-Eye's. Stepping into the second floor bathroom she slowly began to undress, revealing the wounds and burns. "Nothing worse than a Quidditch match…" She said to herself quietly before stepping into the shower in hopes of cleaning them and making them less noticeable.

That was how Jane spent her Christmas, except for the quiet and awkward dinner that Christmas evening. She was thankful none of her burns were easily visible, as she wore the red dress Mad-Eye had given her from her father.

James came in late that night, his eyes practically glazed over. Jane smiled to him, looking him over. He looked all right, but the smell coming off him made her worry.

"Hey mum!" James beamed, hanging his cloak up, "The guys say 'Happy Christmas'." He sat across from Jane, his smile never fading.

"The guys?" Jane asked him. He never called the Marauders anything else.

"Yeah, I've made friends with some of the Muggle kids." He laughed, "They're great to hang out with when Padfoot and Moony are busy. They don't run out on you like some people." He shot at her, grabbing a roll.

"Be nice, we have guests James." Dora corrected him, setting out another basket of bread. Alice, along with their other House Elves, helped her by setting the rest of the food on the table.

"I'm just answering her questions, you should be yelling at her for showing back up here and dressed like that. You look like some kind of dressed up Monkey." James snapped, turning back to his sister. "Monkey!" He laughed, "You look like a monkey."

"James, what's wrong with you?" Jane frowned looking across the table at her spaced out brother.

"What's wrong with you?" He snapped, getting to his feet.

"I'm not the one yelling!" Jane snapped back.

"James, sit down. Jane Marie, lower your voice." Dora ordered, taking her seat at the table.

"James, will you just behave?" Charlus sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"No, I won't!" He snapped, going back to the door, and grabbing his cloak.

"May I be excused? Thank you." Jane asked, nodding, to her mother as she rose and followed James. She grabbed her cloak, following him outside. "Where do you think you're going prat?"

"Away from you, can't you see that?" He scoffed, pulling his cloak close to him as he circled around to the back of the house.

"Are you on something James? Don't deny it; I could smell it when you walked in." She scoffed, running to his side. "Why would you do something so…"

"Muggle?" He glared at her, "Maybe because my friends, those _Muggles_, were doing it!"

"If they jumped off a bridge, would you do that too?" She snapped, grabbing his arm.

"Maybe! Don't really see anything wrong with that! I'd hate to run out on _them_!" He yanked his arm away, stopping where he was as it began to snow once more.

"I didn't run away from you! Mum kicked me out! I _had_ to leave! I _had_ to go live with Mad-Eye! James, why don't you believe that?" She stopped in front of him, her eyes watering.

"Because you never left before! Every time she yelled at you, every time you two fought, I sat in my room listening to it. I heard you two get bad, but you never left. You never left me!" James countered, "I listened to nearly every fight you two had, and it made me know I had to let her coddle me, she had to do it for one of us."

"You were never the one she was yelling at though! You never had to defend yourself from her! Dad may get onto you, but it is always because you have done something, I can just be sitting and she'd yell at me. I don't know how long I could put up with that anymore. Every time she you let her coddle you was just one more time she'd yell at me and tell me I wasn't perfect! James, please, just come back inside and let's pretend we like each other, okay?"

He sighed sober now. It was either from the cold or just from the lack of exposure, Jane didn't know nor care, she did smile as he nodded slowly. "I do like you. I've been bloody worried about you. Running off with Severus Snape, locking yourself away in the library. It's not okay, Janey. You're going to get hurt. He doesn't love you and you sure as hell don't love him."

"He…I never said I loved him." She frowned. He was right though, and Jane knew it. She didn't think she could ever love Severus, and she saw how he looked at Lily. She had seen an older version of her brother with the same look in his eyes during a number of visions "Don't worry about me James. Let's just go back inside before Mum freaks out." She chuckled. James returned the laugh, ruffling his hair to rid it of the snow.

"Okay. You know, Sirius may have mentioned something about not being with Cynthia forever." He said over his shoulder, walking back toward the house.

"Good for him." Jane shook her head. She never could see how he was with that girl at all. Not because she ever wanted to date him, but if they were going to be friends the way he wanted them to be, Jane felt that she may as well be glad he isn't miserable.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"Hey Janey!" James called to her. He made his way through the crowded platform to her, waving a magazine at her.

"James!" Jane laughed, dropping her hold on Mad-Eye's arm. "What's going on?"

"They're over! They broke up!" He kept telling her, Jane stared at him.

"See you this Summer, Mad-Eye!" Jane waved behind her as she led her brother toward the trains, "Who's over? Who broke up? James, make some sense, please."

"The Beatles!" He sighed at her ignorance, "They're broken up. Apparently happened _years _ago."

"I'm sorry?" She shook her head. The only place she'd ever heard of these

'Beatles' was on the cover of James' magazine at the start of the year. "Come on, let's get a compartment and you can tell me all about them."

The two squeezed through the crowds, talking-it was mostly James, but Jane had no problem with this, at least he wasn't yelling at her anymore (plus he smelled normal, which she took as a great sign).

"Look who I found." James called waving toward Sirius and Cynthia-who seemed to be permanently attached to Sirius' arm.

"Pretty Bird! Good to see you again." Sirius smiled, despite how his girlfriend tightened her grip on his arm.

"Don't call me that, Black." She smiled, oddly glad to hear the annoying nickname. The two smiled at each other for a moment before James called RJ over.

"Janey, have a good holiday?" RJ asked his best mate.

"It was eventful, yeah." Jane nodded, pulling her eyes away from Sirius'. "All worked out in the end though."

"Good to hear." RJ smiled, "And you and that '_boyfriend_' of yours?" He teased her, just as she knew the Marauders all would if they knew the truth.

"Didn't see him over the Holiday at all, if that's what your referring to." She laughed.

"What sorry bloke would be unlucky enough to get stuck with you?" Cynthia laughed, obviously relieved a bit to hear Jane was dating a boy that _wasn't_ Sirius.

"None of your business, Eel." Jane scoffed rolling her eyes.

"What did you just call me?" Cynthia narrowed her eyes, finally dislodging herself from Sirius, "You want to say that again, freak?"

"Cynthia, come on." Sirius chuckled, reaching out for his girlfriend's hand.

"You heard me Eel, or do you just feel like there's a more operative name." Jane smirked, ignoring RJ's tugging at her shirt.

"You're just jealous. That's what your problem is." Cynthia smirked back, "You just _wish _you had a wizard that was half the bloke Sirius is."

"If Sirius was so great, why is it that you've fexed half the Quidditch team?" Jane scoffed.

"Bitch." Cynthia snapped, slapping Jane's cheek.

Jane laughed at the girl, "I've been waiting since last year to do this." , and threw punch after punch at Cynthia-who rightfully sucked at blocking Jane, let alone fight back. Jane didn't care at this point, Cynthia had opened the flood gates.

"Girls!" Sirius yelled, grabbing Jane around her waist, literally pulling her off, "Janey! As hot as this is, you have to stop!" He yelled, turning his head to the side to avoid her turning her attacks onto him.

"Let me go, Sirius!" She snapped, struggling with him.

"Can't do that Janey," He sighed, "Not until you settle down."

"Fine," Jane grumbled, relaxing in his arms. He sat her down, still holding her hand firmly.

"Sirius! Defend me!" Cynthia cried, scrambling to her feet. Jane rolled her eyes, and looked up to him, surprised at his stare.

"I pulled her off you didn't I?" He shook his head, "You're fine, Cynthia. She didn't break anything on you." The wounded girl scoffed at him, and left for the train. "Got that all out, Birdie?" Sirius smiled down to Jane, his hand still around hers.

"Yeah," She nodded, smiling up at him. The two laughed at how ridiculous the situation was, completely forgetting where they were or who was with them.

"Can you let go of my girlfriend, Black?" Severus snapped from behind them.

"What?" Sirius turned to face him, "What'd you just say Snivulus?"

"Let go of my girlfriend." Severus glared. Jane chuckled lightly, pulling her hand away slowly.

"Severus…" Jane said quietly, as the train's whistle blew over her voice. She eyed him, surprised at his reaction. They were just holding hands, nothing more. _There's nothing going on. _She thought to herself, wishing she'd spoken up before Sirius.

"No one would touch you with a ten foot broom, Snivulus, let alone date you." He laughed, "Jane has far too high of standards to date anyone at Hogwarts."

"Let's go, Jane." Severus half ordered her, holding his hand out for her.

"Don't tell me what to do, Severus. We _may_ be dating, but you have _no control over what I do and who I do it with." She snapped, narrowing her eyes at Sirius as he chuckled. "Shut up Black." She punched his arm, storming off toward the train. _

"_Birdie told you." Sirius laughed, "Come on." He said to the Marauders, following after Jane. _


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

The Marauders met up once inside the train, and moved to a mostly empty compartment, just Jane and Lily.

"Evans?" James stared at her surprised. She was usually with Severus near the Slytherins, but here she was, her arms crossed and a book in her lap.

"Good Morning to you too, Potter." She nodded to him gruffly. "Remmy, please tell me they're just here to bother us again and not that there's no open compartments."

"No luck, Evans." James laughed, sitting across from her as the train jerked forward, "Doubt any of them are open now."

"Lucky me." She rolled her eyes, reaching out for RJ's hand and guiding him into the seat next to her. "You boys haven't been getting into trouble, have you?" Lily asked RJ, ignoring Sirius and James' bickering.

"No more than usual." RJ smiled at her.

"Good." Lily laughed, leaning against his shoulder. Jane smiled at her best friends, she was happy that they were so happy with each other. Her smile dropped slightly when she caught her brother's face out of the corner of her eye. She knew he would never tell Remus, but the two of them really bothered him. James' jaw was clinched, and his eyes were searching for anywhere to look but at them. Finally, they landed on Lily again,

"Evans! Did you hear?" James asked the usual spark of mischief gone from his hazel eyes.

"Hear what?" She eyed him, sitting up. The two rarely spoke so calmly, it unnerved her.

"The Beatles. They broke up." He said, unusually sober.

"Yeah," Lily chuckled softly, "A few years ago…"

"Really? Why would they…? Wow." James stared across to her.

Sirius and RJ rolled they are eyes at each other, while Jane looked between her brother and Lily. The two seemed finally able to have a decent conversation with the other; suddenly those Muggles James had become friends with were not such a horrible thing after all.

The Marauders and Jane followed behind James and Lily as the two went on and on about bands. Lily, it seemed, was not as fascinated by the same music as James, but that, however, did not seem to derail their conversation as the five walked toward the carriages waiting for them at the school.

"And James said he was over her." Sirius whispered to Jane, laughingly. Jane could not help but smile at the two of them, even though RJ's frown worried her.

Once back to the castle Cynthia wasted no time dragging Sirius away from the group and toward her friends where she hugged onto his arm as if he was some kind of prize. Jane narrowed her eyes at her as the girl shot a smirk over her right shoulder. The darkening bruises on her normally spotless face were all Jane needed to smile. Sirius shrugged his shoulder at Jane and RJ, the only two of the four to be paying attention, as he followed Cynthia's lead.

"I didn't think I'd hit her _that_ hard." Jane laughed, turning toward RJ.

"Apparently you did. Which normally I'd be against…" He laughed along, letting his voice trail off as the four walked into the castle.

"Oh, come on, you know you've always wanted some one to do that." She smiled. RJ nodded, smiling back at her as his girlfriend went on about music he had never heard of with his second best mate.

That evening Jane sat on the sofa, a tattered copy of Magical Creatures and Where to Find Them in her lap. She looked up, surprised to see a frowning Sirius stomping down the Boys' Dorm stairs. He was making a beeline for the large windows, muttering curses as he dug in his back pockets.

"Everything okay?" She asked gingerly, setting her book aside. Sirius grunted, pulling out a cardboard box and waving his wand to open the window in front of him. "What's up?" Jane frowned, moving toward him carefully. She had not seen him upset very often, but she could not help but get the feeling he would respond just like a wounded animal.

Sirius kept quiet, shrugging. He pulled out a white cigarette, and sat on the edge of the window. Shielding the end with one hand, he tapped it lightly setting the end on fire.

"When'd you start to smoke?" She scolded him.

"Over the summer." He said, breathing out a stream of smoke, "It helps me stress out less." He rolled it between his thumb and index finger slowly, watching it.

"What's going on, Sirius? Did you and one of the Marauders get into some kind of fight?" Jane asked, sitting across from him on the edge. She was surprised at how the moonlight shown on his face, it set off the Black bone structure much more than normal and his eyes looked even colder-just like the pictures Jane has seen in family albums when she was younger.

"Lover's quarrel. Cynthia's still upset about what happened at the platform, she said some things about my inviting her over during break that I don't think she would normally have said." Sirius explained, bringing the cig back to his lips.

"Sirius…" Jane frowned. As good as she felt hitting Cynthia as she had, that all disappeared when she saw how it was affecting him. Her heart raced as they sat in short silence. "What'd you invite Cynthia to do over the Holiday?"

"I asked her to come over for Christmas Dinner. I was not that surprised when she said no, we have been fighting a bit more lately than before. I don't know what I do, but apparently it's never right." He leaned back, tapping the embers outside. "I wanted her to meet my parents, Birdie."

Jane stared at him, "What? I never thought you two were that serious…" She said, ignoring the nickname.

"Yeah, but I figured we'd been dating long enough we might as well get serious." He shrugged again, twisting the cigarette out on the cold stone.

Jane shook her head slowly, _If what the two of you do could be called 'dating'_…

"My mum would love her, Janey. But, Cynthia told me that she hated the idea, that she thinks she would hate my mum. Apparently my little brother gives her the creeps." He flicked the cigarette out the window, frowning, "It's so weird."

"How can you care about her _that_ much? She makes you so miserable. It's obvious. Why be with someone you don't care about?" Jane furrowed her brow.

"I care about her Janey, no matter how much it drives me insane." Sirius admitted. She stared at him, amazed. There was a shield he always seemed to have up, one that seemed to be coming down as he talked about her. She never thought she would ever see this side of him. Sirius Black was so normal. So, serious. The wall, she suspected, was always up for everyone, possibly even with the Marauders. Cynthia, however, was getting a glimpse farther into his life than any of the Marauders had, and the bitch did not even seem to care. She felt suddenly sick. Sirius was so open with the girl that he so often seemed to cheat on, the very same girl that had so many times been with this bloke or that. They could be so open with each other while Jane kept herself so closed off from everyone. Even Severus and RJ.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

"What is this crap?" Cynthia scoffed on her way into the Gryffindor Common Room the next afternoon. "Hey, Pookie." She smiled, leaning over the back of Sirius' seat on the sofa. She draped her arms over him, kissing his cheek.

"This isn't crap, Cynthia." James argued, looking up from his Potions homework only turn the record player up.

"Then what do _you_ call it?" She chuckled, leaning her cheek against Sirius'.

"They're a Muggle band he's gotten into. Be nice." Her cheek rest smiled. "What are you up to?" He asked leaning back against the cushion.

"I was thinking…" Cynthia smirked playfully at him, before whispering in his ear. James rolled his eyes, turning back to his Potions with renewed interest. Sirius barked out a laugh, scrambling to his feet. Their laughs faded as he heard their footsteps rush up the Boys' Dorm stairs.

"RJ, that's ridiculous." Jane laughed, the two coming into the Common Room arm in arm.

"How is it ridiculous? You two haven't talked in ages, Lily says she never sees him with anyone other than those Slytherin friends of his. How is it ridiculous to assume he's starting to get into the same things as them? Huh?" RJ asked. He had obviously been thinking about this for a while.

"Because he's not like them!" She half-snapped back at him. "I'm going to get that book." Jane shook her head, waving to her brother as she passed. "Hey James."

"Hey, Janey. Oh, you may want to knock…" James nodded in response, looking up one more from his homework.

"Peter up here alone?" She called back down to him laughing. Once up the stairs, she knocked and went in straight away and stopped short at the sight of Sirius' bed. His arms were around a blond girl who grinned into the kiss. Jane's hand shot to her mouth, the sick feeling from the night before was back and to an unusual extent. She knew she should just grab Remus' book and leave. _Just leave; you can get the book later._ She told her self. No, it is nothing._ They're just snogging. She does it with everyone. He does it with everyone. It's not as if you've never seen them kiss any time before. _She argued, near marching toward the book.

"I love you." Sirius whispered, though to Jane it was as loud as any Quidditch match was.

"Pookie…" Cynthia replied, kissing him again. Even louder, it seemed. Jane groaned. She could not believe that 'Pookie' was all the girl could think of to reply with. Jane grabbed the book from the bed across from them, "What was that?" The blonde-haired person gasped, sitting up. Jane turned on her heel and stared at them.

"What are you looking at?" Cynthia glared, leaning back on her arms, not even bothering to fix her tie or to close the open buttons of her wrinkled uniform shirt.

"Nothing." Jane got out, her nerves gone, "Just came up here for a book from RJ. Now I've got it so, now I'll be leaving."

"Why? You've already ruined the moment, Potter." The other girl scoffed.

"Janey Bird…" Sirius started, smoothing down his girlfriend's hair. A strange look of embracement settled on his face, mixed with confusion.

"Sorry." Jane mumbled, gripping the book as she ran from the room.

"You were up there longer than I thought-" RJ started, yelping slightly as the book hit his chest.

"Here." Jane snapped, stomping up the Girl's Dorm stairs. James and RJ shared the same look of confusion and worry with each other as Sirius and Cynthia joined them.

"Do I _want_ to know what Jane saw up there?" James raised an eyebrow at his mate.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Sirius grinned as he ruffled Jane's hair. She glared up at him. This was the reason she had chosen to attempt her History of Magic homework in the courtyard, Sirius-and any one else for that matter-wouldn't set foot out there during dinner.

"What?" She sighed, stuffing her homework into her History of Magic book.

"What 'what'? I just came out to see you. Do I really need a reason?" He laughed; the bark in it was just as annoying to Jane as ever.

"To see me? Shouldn't you be seeing where your girlfriend is? I mean, you love her and all." She scoffed, gathering her things. She couldn't believe how annoyed she was at everything. What was wrong with her? She was happy with Severus, wasn't she? Of course she was. How could she not be? However, if that was true, why did she feel so sick around him now?

"Birdie, come on. That was weeks ago, you can't still be embarrassed about walking in…" He chuckled, sitting next her.

"Embarrassed? Sirius, I was never _embarrassed_, if anyone should have been it was you and Cynthia. If you told me that you loved me, I'd sure as hell come up with a better reply than 'Pookie'!" She snapped the words out before she even knew it.

"Janey, why do you care so much about what _she_ told me? I do not care what she said, I know she loves me and I love her. Bloody be happy for me, I am for you and Snivulus."

"You are not! Fuck, if you were so happy for me you wouldn't call him _Snivulus_ for starters. You're just waiting for the day we breakup, and you don't love her! Not really, or else you wouldn't be hitting on me all the fucking time like you fucking do!" She screamed at him.

"Merlin, Jane! I haven't hit on you like that in months! We joke around, fuck, I joke around with everyone. I, fucking, hit on Prongs and Moony too. What does that mean in your twisted logic? I'm waiting for Moony to dump Evans so I can jump him? That I've got it bad for anyone I flirt with? Get over it Janey, you bloody need to do something instead of moping around like some sodding puppy!" He snapped back.

"Who ever said I liked you? I make it perfectly clear I don't want anything to do with you like that!"

"Really, birdie? Then why the hell do you care what my girlfriend says to me when we fex?" Sirius scoffed, shaking his head as he turned and left her. He couldn't believe Jane Potter most of the time. She was so infuriating. One minute they could be talking and joking around just like he and her brother do, and the next she would be yelling-and usually hitting him-for no clear reason. She was the most aggravating, irritating, and easiest person he had ever found to talk with.

Aggravated, Jane made her way through the Forbidden Forest. She had picked up a stick at the entrance and now she tapped the trees with it as she passed. Sirius Black was wrong, he had never been right about any of it. She didn't mope around like anything, let alone a bloody puppy. She didn't love him, she didn't really think she much cared for him at all half the time, but that didn't mean he needed to get his heart smashed by some skank.

She knew how much that could hurt. It still hurt when she thought about it-even now, years later and countries away from the boy. Many girls get their hearts broken in their First Year, but Jane wasn't just some hormone driven eleven year old. She didn't put up with any of the Durmstrang boys her age's jokes and teasing, instead spending her time with the fifth, sixth and, even, seventh year boys. Even dating one, named Harrison. Jane had just began the second half of her first year at Beauxbatons when he visited one weekend, that was the day she'd decided to tell him she loved him. Harrison quickly scoffed, slapping her in the face. '_Stupid, little Firstie_.' He told her, '_You love me? You don't know what love is._' Then he laughed, and laughed, and laughed again. Jane was struggling not to cry and didn't reply to him; instead, she turned away from him and ran back to the school. That incidence was still with her, years later. She wouldn't wish it on anyone. Even Sirius Black.

"Bloody, son of a, ugh!" Jane groaned, hitting a pinecone out of her path with her stick. A sharp 'Argh!' broke through the trees. Jane froze, gasping. "Who is that?" She called out, her stick now a bat.

"I really should have seen that one coming." A deep voice grumbled. A large brown Centaur broke through the green shrubbery. "Aren't you a bit young to be wandering in here?" It asked.

Jane stared at the man-horse, in both awe and worry. Centaurs are known normally as docile creatures, except when provoked, threatened or just plain angered. "I'm sorry." She apologized, bowing her head to him. "It was completely my wrong doing. I'm terribly sorry."

He snorted at her. He'd never run into a young girl from the Castle inside the forest before, let alone one who knew how to be polite this deep. "The name's Firenze. Who are you?"

"Jane Potter." She smiled at him. "It's very nice to meet you Firenze."

He nodded, and smiled back at the fourth year. That was the beginning of a long friendship. Throughout Jane's stay at Hogwarts she would often sneak out to the Forest and speak with Firenze about her visions and the surprises she'd seen reading the stars. Before she knew it, the young Centaurs were calling her a Centaur as well-even if a bit deformed.

Jane Potter knew her career choices were then narrowed down to two choices: Auror and worker in the Care of Magical Creatures Department. Both if she could work it.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Fourth year came and went. That summer Jane, or Vixen as the Ministry and the Daily Prophet had taken to calling her, had continued training and fighting along side the Ministry. The only hiccup in her near perfect Summer was a small argument with Mad-Eye over a couple of Jane's more obvious burns that had turned into a full blown row, resulting in Jane moving away and to the only place she felt would let a fifteen year old live: The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. She now worked there in the summer, and planned to attempt to continue working there over the holidays but thought she would have to pull far too many strings.

Jane dragged her trunk behind her as she made her way to the platform where she would be joining the other returning students. She smiled at James and RJ, but her smile faltered slowly as she saw Sirius. Just below his left eye was a red patch of skin that looked to Jane like a burn, from some kind of curse. He was grinning though, despite how much Jane knew it hurt him.

"Hey, you sorry blokes!" She called waving to them as she hurried over to the Marauders.

"Hey, Janey." Sirius smiled down at her, ruffling her hair.

"Hey, Sirius." She grumbled, eyeing him. The two hadn't spoken since their blow up the year before, but Sirius acted as if nothing was wrong in the world. It worried Jane a bit how he was obviously ignoring something huge.

"Gonna sit with us this time Birdie, or you missing Snivulus too much?" He laughed.

"Ha, ha, Sirius." Jane rolled her eyes, "But no, I do think I'm going to sit with you lot. That is if you and that blonde growth you have don't gross me out too much."

"I wouldn't worry about that. Cynthia said she had some things to do so I won't be seeing her till probably after the feast." Sirius shrugged, "'Sides, ol' Moons here is leaving us." He patted his mate's shoulder enthusiastically.

"What's he talking about RJ?" Jane asked, her attention whipping toward him.

"You didn't get my owl? I was made Prefect." RJ grinned, "Lily and I are the Prefects for Gryffindor."

"Congratulations!" Jane cheered, throwing her arms around her best mate. Out of the corner of her she caught a glimpse of James, who had a small smile on his face, and her own grin dropped slightly. "All that hard work is finally paying off."

"Looks like it." RJ laughed, as the two broke apart. "Speaking of, I should go find Lily before we board. I'll see you at the feast and we'll catch up." He waved at the group as he rushed off into the crowd.

"It's going to be great having him as a Prefect. We'll get away with so much." Sirius laughed, his burn wrinkling up once more.

"Or even less." James muttered, draping an arm over Peter's shoulders and leading him toward the train.

"That's a pretty nasty burn Sirius." Jane almost whispered. The Marauders had to have noticed it, but why weren't any of them mentioning it?

"Yeah, it was my fault though. You know how I can get into some pretty stupid situations." He laughed again, his tough attitude wasn't as solid as it had been in front of the Marauders.

"Looks like more a curse hit you than you did it on accident." Jane pointed out, looking up at him.

"Drop it Janey Bird." He grumbled as a second year shoved between them. He looked nearly identical to Sirius at that age, but he was nearly as tall as Sirius already-only a few inches shorter.

"Move it." He ordered, hitting Sirius' arm once more.

"Learn some manners, brat." Sirius yelled at him.

"Learn your place, Black." The boy snapped back.

"Who are you?" Jane scoffed, crossing her arms. The boy turned toward Jane and smirked instantly. "Oy." She sighed, knowing who the boy was. The smirk was genetic.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

"Regulus Black." The boy smirked, "And who are you?" His eye looked her over.

"Oy." Sirius snapped, shoving the second year away from them. "Watch your eyes!"

"Sirius I can handle this. Chill." Jane told him, surprised. "I'm Jane Potter and I'm not interested." She laughed, taking Sirius' hand and leading him toward the train.

"I see. You're one of those purebloods. Your lose!" He called after her, sneering.

"One of _those_ purebloods?" Jane snapped, whipping around. Sirius caught her by the shoulders, now the leader to the train.

"He's not worth it, Janey. Just leave him alone." Sirius muttered, shooting his brother a dirty look.

"Took the words out of my mouth, _blood traitor_." Regulus shouted, returning his older brother's look. "Watch who you spend your time with, Jane Potter, it could come back to bite you." He climbed onto the train without looking back. Jane scoffed, shrugging Sirius off. He frowned, looking over his shoulder toward the door his little brother had just climbed through.

"Blood traitor?" Jane asked quietly, taking his hand tentatively.

"Don't worry about, Jane. Regulus just likes to talk. He doesn't know what half of what he says even means." Sirius forced a smiled, lacing his fingers with hers.

"That doesn't mean that none of it hurts." She whispered her protest, confused at how much she missed the annoying nickname. "I know how much it hurts when your family says things to you, wither they mean it or not. Why else do you think I moved out?" She chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

"Did your mum ever tell you that you weren't worth the space you took up?" Sirius scoffed, climbing into the train. Their hands still linked.

"Not directly, no." Jane told him honestly, leaning against his arm.

"Why do I always have to tell you not to touch my girl?" Severus snapped from behind them.

"What?" Sirius laughed, stopping in the middle of the corridor. Jane straightened up, and looked from Severus Snape to her and Sirius' hands and back to Severus.

"Sev, this isn't what it looks like." She laughed, slipping their fingers apart.

"Then what is it Jane? We both know he'd do anything to get with you, single or not!" Severus snapped, crossing his arms. Lily and Remus pushed through the forming crowd, several other Prefects and Heads followed. All their badges were shining proudly.

"It's nothing! Merlin, Severus, why can't you trust me? Who cares if Sirius likes me or not? Can't you fucking trust _me_?" Jane snapped back at him, her hands on her hips.

"Because this is bloody Sirius Black we're talking about! Fucking blood traitor, slacker, extraordinaire." Severus scoffed, staring at her confused. Jane felt Sirius stiffen next to her. She fought the urge to glance at him, but was sure his eyes were as cold as ever toward Severus.

"So you can't trust me because you've got this grudge against Sirius? That's bloody ridiculous. Looks like you don't have to worry about that anymore! We're done." Jane sighed, glad when Sirius took her hand again. He lead the way for them through the crowd of students, who immediately began whispering.

"We're in here, the usual compartment." Sirius smiled, kissing her head quickly before letting go of her hand and opening the compartment door. Jane nodded, a small smile on her face.

"Thanks Sirius." She told him quietly. He returned her smile as they went in and sat across from the other.

"What was all that noise?" James laughed, shuffling some coins in his hand.

"Severus and I broke up." Jane said very matter-of-factly, kicking her feet up on the cushion between the two Gryffindor boys.

"Oh." James and Peter stared at her. Sirius simply smiled.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

"You don't need that prick." Sirius whispered into her ear as the Gryffindors rushed past the Slytherins after the first Potions class of Term.

"I know," Jane nodded; positive that his hands weren't on her waist for any reason other than the crowd. _He's in love with Cynthia remember. _"But thanks." She smiled over her shoulder at him. He chuckled, taking her hand. The two turned a corner, suddenly alone.

"That's better." Sirius laughed, glancing behind them as the other students rushed by in a wave.

"Much. There's a short cut this way, by the Slytherin House." Jane pointed out, leading the way down the corridor.

"I knew we shouldn't have let you help us with that map." He grinned, following her lead. "Now you know too much. We'll have to kill you."

"I'd love to see you try." She teased.

"With pleasure." Sirius winked. He stopped short, tugging Jane back to him.

"What is it?" She laughed, eying him. "Sirius?" She asked, growing worried. Her eyes followed his, shocked to find Cynthia's tongue down Regulus' throat.

"He's twelve!" Sirius finally shouted, breaking the two apart.

"Nearly thirteen!" Regulus defended.

"Pookie, this isn't what it looks like." Cynthia pleaded.

"Don't give me that, shit, Cynthia. I, fucking, know it's what it looks like. You said you had things to do, so I never went looking for you. I trusted that you had _things_ to do that didn't include sucking out my little brother's lungs!"

"Pookie…" She pleaded once again, "Please…"

"Disgusting…" Sirius shook his head, turning to leave.

"It's not like you weren't ever cheating on her-" Regulus called after him, straightening his tie.

"Bugger off, Black!" Jane snapped at the second year.

"-With her probably!" Regulus snapped back at her.

"Oy!" Jane argued, as Sirius turned back to his brother diving for him. His curses and punches filled the corridor.

A small crowd of the Gryffindors and Slytherins that had yet to get far from the Potions room stood behind Jane, watching in awe and confusion as the two brothers traded blows.

"Sirius! Stop it! You're going to hurt him!" Cynthia screeched jumping away from the quarrelling brothers.

"Padfoot!" James yelled, pushing his way through the crowd.

"Pads! Knock it off!" RJ groaned, fighting his way next to Jane.

"RJ!" Jane jumped, surprised at how torn her mate looked.

"What is going on here?" A girl yelled, shoving her way through.

"Hey!" James shouted as she elbowed him in the side.

"Sorry." The ginger apologized, before realizing who she'd hit, "Oh, it's you."

"Lily…" RJ frowned.

"Why aren't you doing something, Remus?" Lily sighed, marching to the two Blacks. "Okay, that's enough. Knock it off!" She yelled, trying to force the two apart.

"Sirius!" James yelled, rushing to Lily's side. He tackled his best mate away from the scuffle, receiving a number of punches of his own.

"He attacked me!" Regulus shouted, struggling out of Lily's grasp.

"Doesn't matter!" RJ replied, "Thirty points from Slytherin!"

"And thirty from Gryffindor, Black. Are you insane? Can't you keep this petty sibling rivalry to something _mild_?" Lily scoffed, letting go of the second year.

"Fuck off, Evans." Sirius spat, getting to his feet, "You don't know what's going on with anything."

"I do know this escapade earned you _both_ a week of detention!" Lily crossed her arms, looking between the brothers.

"Whatever." The Blacks scoffed, going off in their own directions.

"Padfoot!" James called after him, scrambling up and after him.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

"Sirius, what was that about?" James frowned, following him-with Peter trailing even farther behind them.

"Cynthia's been cheating on me." Sirius grumbled, spitting the password at the Fat Lady.

"No need to be rude." She grumbled, swinging open for them.

"With Regulus?" James hurried to keep up with his taller dorm mate.

"With Regulus, with half the fucking school, most of the Quidditch team's been fexing her!" Sirius snapped, grabbing a bottle from under one of the common room couches.

"She what? Since when? Wait, if you knew this why'd you bother staying with her?" James put his hand on his back as the two walked up the Boys' Dorm stairs together.

"Since last year sometime. I don't know why I put up with it. She always said it was just snogging, as if it was better then-"

"Snogging partners don't mean anything, right?" Peter squeaked up the stairs after them.

"Fuck snogging partners, Wormtail! She was sucking my little brother's tonsils out! She always got onto me about all the time I spent with Jane and there she was nearly shagging my twelve-year-old brother in the corridor after Potions!" Sirius yelled back to him. James flopped onto Sirius' bed, pulling Sirius with him.

"What _is_ going on with you and Jane?" James asked, taking the bottle from Sirius' hand and took a swig.

"Yeah, I mean, I'd shag her." Peter shrugged, sitting at the end of the bed. James raised a brow at him, handing the bottle back over. Peter squirmed, "Er, I mean, that in the most respectful way James…"

"Yeah…" James muttered half disbelievingly, half playfully.

"Jane and I are just friends, like me and Mooney." Sirius laughed, taking his own drink from the bottle before passing it on.

"Sure about that, Padfoot? I don't remember you ever looking at Moony the way you do Janey." James laughed.

"Not when either of us are sober at least." RJ laughed along, patting Peter's back as he chocked on his drink from the bottle. RJ took it from him and sniffed it. "A bit too early for Firewhiskey, don't you think?" He passed the bottle along.

"Never too early for one year older Firewhiskey." James grinned, draping his arm behind Sirius' head.

"Especially when you don't plan on setting foot in any more classes today." Sirius chuckled, curling up against James. "I love her mate…" He grumbled, nuzzling James' shoulder.

"We all make mistakes, Pads. You'll get over Cynthia. I'm betting on Christmas." James smiled, resting his head on top of Sirius'.

Jane knocked lightly on the open door at the top of the Boys' Dorm stairs. She poked her head in, quieting her laugh at the sight of Sirius in his bed. He was sprawled out on top of the blankets, a bottle dangling from his hand, and a loud, long snore came out of his mouth.

"Sirius?" Jane asked quietly, going over to him. "Sirius?" She repeated, louder.

"Bugger off." He groaned in his sleep, his leg twitching as if it was running from something. She smiled, running her hand over his shaggy hair.

"It's okay, pup." Jane whispered into his ear.

"Wha-?" Sirius sat up quickly, "Oh, hey. What are you doing in here?" He ran his hand over the place her hand had just been.

"Came to see how you were doing. Didn't see you in any classes, not that I'm surprised really." She laughed finally, sitting on the bed next to him. He moved over on the small bed, his arm around her shoulders lightly.

"Yeah, I didn't really feel like putting up with her or any of the rumors today. They're not too bad are they?" He asked, tipping the bottle over and frowning. He sat it down on the floor with a clank.

"The usual. Her friends say you cheated first, everyone else says Regulus wasn't her first choice." Jane shrugged, sniffing at the breath that wafted toward her. "Is that Firewhiskey I smell?" She scoffed lightly.

"Yeah. Your brother's got some more under his bed if you want to share some." Sirius nodded, pointing lazily toward the bed next to him.

"I don't think you need any more." Jane laughed again hugging him carefully.

"You're probably right, Janey. You're great, you know that, birdie." He smiled, kissing her cheek lightly.

"And you're wasted." She blushed just as lightly. Sirius didn't seem to notice. He nuzzled at her neck softly with his nose. Jane couldn't help but laugh as he did so. "Sirius…"

"Hmm?" He mumbled, pulling her close to him as his lips brushed her neck.

"You are _so _wasted." Jane repeated, blushing deeper.

"And you're hot." Sirius rolled his eyes, looking at her confused. "Thought we were just saying the obvious."

"I am _not_ going to make out with you." Jane swore, more to herself than to him.

"Sure about that?" Sirius smirked. He leaned closer and kissed her lips slowly. Jane returned it.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

"Hey Sirius, you going to go to dinner tonight?" RJ called, coming up the stairs. He stopped short, chuckling. Sirius had one arm wrapped around Jane's waist, and the other rubbing the knee of the leg wrapped around his. Jane either didn't notice his hand moving up or she didn't care. "I can come back later."

The two shot up and apart. Jane blushed bright, "RJ, we were just, um….snogging." She said embarrassed.

"How you doing Moons?" Sirius asked him. He was much more sober now.

"Not as good as you apparently." RJ couldn't help but laugh. The last thing he wanted was for Jane to get hurt by Sirius' goofing off, but he also thought that letting off a little of the tension between the two would do the school a load of good. "You plan on ever eating something besides Jane's face?"

"Dinner already?" Sirius laughed, jumping up. He tugged at his wrinkled shirt and slipped his shoes on. "Coming Janey Bird?" He turned toward her, grinning.

"Um…yeah." Jane nodded, getting off the bed. She straightened herself out, avoiding RJ's eyes entirely.

"I'll see you two downstairs." Remus chuckled, moving toward the door again.

"Come on." Sirius smiled at Jane. He followed after Remus, his hands in his pockets.

Jane nodded, and followed behind the boys. She bit her lip, thinking back on what had just happened. How could she be so stupid? She knew how Sirius Black got when he drank, he'd snog anything with a zip code.

Once downstairs, Jane let out a quiet sigh of relief as she saw Sirius leaping onto her brother's back like some kind of monkey. James and Peter laughed, leaving the Common Room with him. RJ on the other hand raised an eye brow at his best mate, and smirked at her.

"Shut up." She groaned, going to him.

"I never said anything." He held up his hands, smirking even more.

"Yes, but you're grinning like the Cheshire Cat. I know it was stupid, and it means absolutely nothing to him. More than nothing, probably, RJ."

His smirk fell as he put his arm around her shoulders, guiding her toward the door. "You don't know that, but you are right. Fexing him was stupid. Maybe not the stupidest thing you've ever done, or ever _will_ do, but it's up there." He nudged her lightly with his shoulder.

Jane couldn't help but laugh, she leaned her head on him. "I like him, Remus." She whispered.

James laughed loudly as he and Sirius traded shoved on their way into the Great Hall.

"Merlin!" A girl shouted, coming in behind her. James jumped back, into Sirius and Peter.

"Sorry about that…Evans! Can't keep away from me today, can you?" He grinned, chuckling.

"In your dreams Potter." The red head spat at him, rolling her eyes. "Black, you've got detention with Professor McGonagall tomorrow afternoon, be there."

"Hello, to you Ging." Sirius rolled his eyes at his fellow Gryffindor. "Moony! Why can't Prude Evans here ever tell me I have detention the way you do?"

"Why on the earth would she tell you your detention times and then climb into my bed?" RJ laughed.

"I'll see you at the meeting tonight." Lily shook her head at him, "Keep him in line, Jane." She smiled at the girl Potter before she pushed past James and Sirius.

"Always do." Jane laughed. Once Lily was gone she glanced at RJ and frowned, "You two broke up, didn't you?" She asked carefully.

"Yeah, she broke up with me last summer." Remus nodded, slightly and headed toward the Gryffindor table quickly.

"They broke up?" Sirius frowned.

"Bet you're happy, huh, Prongs?" Peter smiled.

"Why would I be happy that one of my best mates got his heart crushed by a girl like Lily?" James scoffed, "I may sort of like her, but I'm not demented."


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

"Please tell me they're wrong." Cynthia shouted storming into the girl's dorm. "_Please _tell me it's all talk."

"Okay, it's all talk." Jane shook her head, confused as to what her dorm mate was going on about. "Mind elaborating on _what_ is all talk?" She sat her book down, marking her place.

"You making out with Sirius, bloody, Black." Cynthia scoffed, finding the rumor simultaneously unbelievable and disgusting at the exact same time.

"Who told you that?" Jane's face fell. She shot up straight, grabbing the girl's shirt. "Who fucking told you I made out with Sirius?"

"I was trying to talk with Sirius and _he_ mentioned how you 'took care of him' this afternoon. So it's true then and you two made out? Or are you _really_ so easy as to shag him as soon as he's single?" Cynthia scowled, pushing Jane away from her.

"That's none of your business, not that you really have much say on anything. Aren't you the girl that'll fex anything with lips?" Jane smirked, getting to her feet once she'd released her.

"He'll get tired of you soon anyway, and if _he_ doesn't his family will have a field day with making your life hell. What are you reading now? _Equal Rights for Equal Lives_? That's the kind of crap that I'm sure they'd hate. Mudblood lover." Cynthia smirked back at Jane, turning to leave down the stairs.

Jane bit her tongue hard as the girl ranted, finally having enough once she said the 'M'-Word. Jane launched herself at Cynthia's back, knocking her down the stairs as the two girl's fought the other.

"Bitch!"

"Skank!"

"Whore!"

"Jealous wench!"

"Bloodtraitor!" Cynthia screeched as Peter pulled her off of Jane. She fought against him, attracting the attention of the Gryffindor Prefects and the Head Boy and Girl.

"Enough!" The Head Boy shouted, getting between the two fifth years. "I don't know what the hell is going on with you two, but you can sort it out in Detention this weekend."

"Mark! We have our first Quidditch match of the Season Saturday! I _have_ to play!" Jane argued, getting to her feet. Her lip was already swelling from Cynthia's punches.

"Too bad Jane, you should have thought of that before you flew Cynthia down the stairs." Mark shook his head. He turned back to the crowd, shooing them away. The Prefects and Head Girl joined in to help him scatter the students.

"Let go of me Peter." Cynthia shrugged him off carefully. Jane couldn't believe how nice she could be to Peter at times, and so horrible to him at others. He let go of her, nodding.

"She didn't get your face." He assured her, bringing a small smile to Cynthia's lips. She kissed his cheek lightly, before going up to the Girl's room to fix her hair.

"What was that?" Sirius laughed, holding his hand out for Jane.

"You told Cynthia about what happened in the Boy's Dorm this afternoon. What would posses you to do something like that?" Jane slapped his hand away from her, holding it out to RJ instead. He took it and helped her up.

"He told her about the two of you fexing?" RJ frowned, wiping the blood gently off of her chin.

"You and Sirius fexed?" James asked surprised as Lily mirrored his sentiment-only using the term 'made out' instead. "Are you _insane_?" The two asked their respective best mates.

"Shut up." Sirius snapped at the two of them, turning to Jane. "Cynthia was saying how she could help fix my burn," He pointed to the, now, scab under his eye. "and I told her I didn't need her to. Said I didn't need her for anything now, and I had you to help take care of me. I didn't mean like _that_ but she just…assumed, I guess."

"How could you make out with Sirius Black? Who knows what he could have!" Lily shook her head at Jane.

"That's a bit far." James scoffed.

"Who knows what _you_ could have either!" Lily countered him. The two continued to bicker and call each other a list of names.

The others ignored them and went their own ways.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

"What is your problem with James?" Jane whispered across the library table.

"Potter annoys me to no end, Jane. His constant flirting-" Lily whispered back, setting her quill down.

"Which, Merlin knows, means he likes you." Jane interjected.

"-And how he expects me to _worship _him. 'Oh, James Potter! You're so brilliant. Why can't I be as wonderful as you?' It's pathetic, Jane." Lily continued, rolling her eyes as she impersonated James.

"He's really not so bad once you get to know him." Jane laughed quietly.

"Yeah, key word: 'once'. I can't stand to be in the same room as him for more than ten minutes." Lily shook her head, picking up her quill. She returned to copying her notes.

"You didn't seem to have a problem with him on the train that one year." Jane crossed her arms, leaning back in the chair.

Lily paused in her scribbling, "That was different. I did it for Remus." She finally admitted sheepishly.

"Why? You know he would have understood if you had asked him to sit somewhere else with you." Jane frowned.

"I wasn't about to be _that_ girlfriend."

"What girlfriend? The honest kind?"

"No, the kind that tells her boyfriend to ditch his friends just because she's annoyed by them. I saw how torn Sirius got every time Cynthia drug him off somewhere." Lily explained. Jane's arms dropped from her chest as Lily went on.

"If you cared that much for RJ back then, why'd you break up with him?"

"He lied to me too much, Janey. He always said he had something to do and I'd find out later he was out by the lake or up in the Boy's Dorm. I know Remy, and I wish he didn't try so hard to keep secrets from me."

"Lily, that's just him. He gets sick a lot, you know that, he hates people worrying about him." Jane said trying to cover for him.

"Don't give me that! I know what his secret is! I know what he's hiding from me, and I know they know it too." Lily scoffed a bit loud, caught up in her emotions.

"Shh!" One student whispered quickly. Lily blushed, ducking her head slightly.

"You know about RJ's…problem?" Jane whispered, "How'd you know I knew?"

"You're his best mate, Jane. No one can keep sane with that kind of _problem_ without their best mate knowing." Lily smiled, packing her things up. She knew she wasn't about to get any work done any time soon.

"How'd you figure it out?" Jane laughed softly.

"End of last term I followed your brother and them outside. That was when it all connected. The Moon Phase, Potter sneaking out to the Whomping Willow. It wasn't very hard to figure out." Lily shrugged.

"You never said anything to him?"

"No, of course not. If Remy wants to keep it from me, then that's his business."

"He cares about you, Lily. You didn't see how hurt he was the other day at dinner."

"I care about him too, Jane, but I'm not going to chase him down and try to get him to open up to me on something that he doesn't trust me with. That's not who I am," Lily shouldered her bag and stood to leave, "And that's not who I ever plan to be." She sighed, leaving the library quickly.

_Why is Jane so set on Remy and I?_ Lily thought to herself, walking down the corridor that lead to the Gryffindor Tower. She stopped short when she heard the voice of James and two other people-one of whom James seemed to be arguing with. "What the…" Lily muttered, turning a corner to search out the voices.

"Oy!" She yelled, just as the Seventh Year's fist connected with James' stomach. He glanced at her as the second stranger, a Gryffindor First Year, ran and hid behind Lily's back.

"Ooph." James let out, bending over and clutching his stomach.

"Stop it!" Lily ordered, moving forward. That was when she noticed that the Seventh Year was none other than Mulciber-one of Severus' Slytherin friends. "Leave Potter alone, alright?" She scoffed, her hand edging toward her wand. She had a bad feeling she could need it.

"Or you'll do what, Mudblood? Give me Detention?" He laughed. Mulciber literally laughed, throwing a kick at James' leg, but James was quicker. He punched at Mulciber, knocking him backwards.

"Shut the hell up!" James cursed at him, shaking his hand out after the punch.

"Mudblood lover!" Mulciber yelled after James, smirking though his hand clutched his nose. Lily stared as she saw James pause for only a split second before making his way to the First Year and guiding him out of the corridor and toward the Common Room.

"What are you looking at filth?" The Seventh Year sneered, moving toward Lily. She narrowed her eyes at him, gripping her wand as she stood rooted to her spot.

"Lily? You coming?" James called to her from the end of the corridor.

She nodded, surprised at both his tone and his word choice. "Of course, James." Her grip relaxed on her wand and she turned toward James, walking away.

"What he sees in you, bitch…" Mulciber muttered quietly for her to hear.

She froze and whirled around to him. "I am rubber and you are glue, Mulciber." She smiled sweetly, before turning back around and continuing toward James. She wished she could have come up with a saying a bit less Muggle.

"'I am rubber?' Where'd you pull that one out of?" James laughed, his hand on her back as they walked.

"My sister used to say it all the time." She smiled, walking ahead of them once she felt his hand on her shoulder blades.

"Bloody brilliant sister." He smiled back at her.

"Yeah…" Lily laughed. They really _had_ grown up in two separate worlds.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

"_Potalias_. I'll go find Mooney and he'll patch you right up." James said, letting the First Year go through the port hole first.

"James? What was that?" Lily asked, tugging on his robes to stop him.

"Mulciber was hexing John when I came up. I, of course, told him to knock it off but the prick doesn't listen." James rolled his eyes at the memory.

"You stepped in for John?" She was surprised, "Wow, I'm actually amazed by that."

"Why? You didn't think I would ever step up and be the good guy? I'm not always such a 'toe-rag'." He snapped at her.

"That's not what I meant, and you are too! Most of the time anyway…" Lily scoffed.

"Why do I even like you, Evans?"

"You don't. You like that I'm a challenge, Potter."

"You don't know fuck." James rolled his eyes and headed into the Common Room. Why couldn't she believe that he actually had feelings for her, and, even more, why was he so pathetic and kept crawling back to her? Why couldn't he just move on? There were plenty of girls, just in Gryffindor alone, that would kill to have him chasing after them. Not Lily Evans. She rarely even used his first name.

"Watch your mouth, Potter!" Lily scolded him, following him inside.

"Bugger the fuck off, Evans!" James shouted behind him. John, looked between the two warily. James took out his wand.

"John, Madam Pomfrey could fix you up a lot faster. And safer." Lily stepped in quickly.

"I know what I'm doing, Evans. I've done this before." James snapped, raising his wand.

"On who? One of your lackeys? One of the Quidditch players? Who?" She interrogated him. James groaned aggravated.

"Don't you ever shut up?" He yelled, whipping his head toward her.

"Not when there's a boy's arm in danger!"

"Why don't you fucking trust me?"

"Because you're the most untrustworthy prat I've ever seen! I'd trust Mulciber and Avery over you!"

"You two okay?" Remus asked carefully, standing at the top of the Boy's Dorm stairs.

"Never better!" James yelled up to his sister.

"Peachy." Lily scoffed.

"Also, you're lying." Jane laughed coming into the Common Room, "Are they fighting over you, Johnny?"

"No, I-I don't think. James I'm fine, really. The warts have mostly disappeared now." John stuttered, holding up his arm.

"I'll get to you in a minute, John." James brushed him off.

"You will not!" Lily stepped in.

"I'm just going to go to bed…" The first year slipped away as the couple continued to bicker, their argument growing louder and closer to turning violent.

Jane sighed, shooting RJ a look. She was glad to see him sending the same look her way.

"What are we going to do with them?" Jane laughed, walking up the stairs to meet him.

"Take away their toys and any sharp objects?" RJ smiled.

"Maybe…" Jane smiled back at him, glancing down the stairs at her brother and best mate. She knew what she'd read, and she knew there was still time for it to happen, but she also knew that she didn't see it. The Stars must have known something she didn't, because no two people who loved each other the way James and Lily were supposedly going to talked to the other like that.

"I'm going to head off to bed. Will you keep an eye on them? Keep Lily from killing James?" RJ asked, sighing heavily.

"No problem. Too close to that Time of the Month?" She smiled, eyeing him a bit worried.

"_Way_ too close." He nodded, running his hand through his hair a bit. Jane noticed how the shadows seemed to settle more under his eyes than normal.

"You really like Lily, why didn't you tell her about it? She'd understand." She asked, hating how she had to keep Lily's knowledge such a secret.

"She might, but you and I both know Lily and I weren't going to last much past sixth year at the most." He shrugged. Jane flung her arms around her best guy mate, hugging tightly.

"You'll find someone. Hey! Nemphadora's still an option."

"You mean Sirius' cousin? She's like five." He laughed, hugging her back.


	34. Chapter 34

A/N: Great, amazing, thank yous to my awesome beta: RandomBoringStuff! Without your help this chapter would look totally different and I bet at least half the reviews would be less than pleasant. This chapter is dedicated to her and also to Pippin634-and her adorable new son (mostly him though 'cause babies are cute).

Chapter 34

"Your brother's an idiot." Lily sighed, tugging her hair out of it's ponytail.

"You were the one arguing with him." Jane laughed, looking up from her book. She still hadn't had a chance to finish it since Cynthia stormed in and caused the row. Lily loosened her tie, and Jane prayed she wouldn't bring the fight up-or worse, what had happened between her and Sirius. She could just hear Lily's scolding now….

"Jane, can we talk?" Lily asked, setting her dirty uniform shirt aside and picking up a dressing gown.

"About your Care of Magical Creatures homework? Sure thing!" Jane smiled, trying to deflect the upcoming questions.

"Very funny," Lily wasn't amused. "I want to talk to you about Sirius Black. Reasonably and maturely." She enforced, putting folding her dirty skirt along side her shirt.

"There's nothing to talk about, Lils. Maturely, _or_ reasonably." Jane shook her head, returning to her book 'intently'.

"He's just like Potter. He snogs everything, almost to the point where it's poetic how him and Cynthia ended." Lily ignored Jane's argument, setting out her uniform for the next day-along with a new pair of folded socks. She set her dirty clothes on the floor next to her folded dirty socks, "Sirius Black likes having someone faun over him, and someone attached to his arm. That's why he always put up with Cynthia and her crap, it's obvious to everyone else." Lily sighed, sitting cross legged on the edge of Jane's bed.

"That's not true at all, Lily. Not only are you not giving James enough credit but you obviously don't understand Sirius' situation. He loved Cynthia and she crushed him." Jane rolled her eyes, marking her place. Perhaps she wasn't meant to finish this book anytime this week.

"Calm down, Janey. This is why I waited to talk to you about it. I was _hoping_ you'd come to your senses and stop acting like a lovesick teenager." Lily sighed, leaning back on her arms.

"What's wrong with acting like a teenager, Lily? We are, and if you weren't so busy pretending the thought of my brother's existence made you physically ill, you might realize that. I like Sirius, yes. I like him a lot, but I do not love him. I do not, in any definition of the word _love _him." Jane shut her book, looking her mate in the eye as she spoke.

Lily smiled, letting out a deep sigh of relief at this new information. "You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that!" She beamed, throwing her arms around Jane. She laughed, hugging Lily back. She didn't _love _Sirius, no that was preposterous. She just liked him. A lot. "Now I can finally sleep." She laughed.

Jane smiled, "Yeah, you're starting to talk crazy talk."

"Goodnight Jane Potter." Lily hugged her once again before crawling into her own bed. The fire dimmed as the night darkened, making it impossible for Jane to get any farther in her reading, even if she chose to. She set the book on the floor next to her bed and crawled farther under the covers, closing her eyes. The five words echoing in her head as she began to drift off to sleep, mixing as the night over came her. _I do not love him. I do not love him. I do not love him. I do not not love him. _


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

"Bloody…" Jane groaned, tossing her sheets off her. For the last hour, she'd been trying to get back to sleep, and now, even if she could go back, it was too late to get any good amount of it before classes started. She ran a hand through her hair and headed down the stairs to the Common Room. She stopped at the bottom, staring at the back of Sirius' head. "You couldn't sleep, either?" Jane called out to him. He turned away from the window, his lopsided smile obvious in the moonlight.

"James was snoring again." He laughed quietly.

"He does that." She smiled, continuing toward him. She sat on the edge of the open window, "James give you a mouth-?"

"Lily give you a mouth-?" Sirius said simultaneously, moving next to her. The two stopped once they heard the other and started laughing. "I'll take that as a yes?"

"Yeah." Jane nodded, "She apparently thought I'd get mad at her for bringing it up."

"What? You never get mad about people pestering you. You're completely level headed and mature." He laughed, swatting at her leg lightly.

"Oh, yeah." Jane rolled her eyes, taking out her wand. She flicked it toward the fireplace, giving them a bit more light in the room. A small silence settled over them, Jane's eyes studied the burn under Sirius' eye. What had he done that anyone had thought he deserved that.

"James made some really good points though…" Sirius nodded. Whatever he and James had talked about didn't seem to sit well with him.

"Like what?" Jane asked cautiously.

"Just some things. You do know that drunk doesn't count, right?"

Drunk didn't count? Did he really think that was a good excuse? "Oh yeah. I mean, people do things drunk that they wouldn't do sober. And you seemed pretty upset..." Jane said, struggling to hide her disappointment and anger at his reasoning.

"So you get it." He tapped her arm lightly, "That it was just a mistake?"

"Yeah. Just a mistake…" Jane agreed slowly, rubbing her arm where his fist had been despite how it didn't hurt at all.

"Glad you understand. Loads of girls would be all weird about it." He laughed, "So you ever do anything stupid when you've had one too many?"

"Huh? What?" She shook her head, coming back to the present.

"Back in Third Year when you were dating Mooney, you said that you could hold your Firewhiskey." Sirius asked, taking out a cigarette.

Jane thought for a moment, before remembering the night in Third Year when Sirius had come back to the Dorm after Cynthia dumped her mead on his head. She'd forgotten all about that night until just then, "How did you remember that?"

"I remember loads you say." He mumbled the cigarette in his mouth. He lit it quickly, "So, have you ever _not _held your Firewhiskey?"

"Once, but that was when I was still in Beauxbatons. Don't think I'll let that happen again, hate not being in control. When did you, and James I'm assuming, start drinking the harder stuff?" She asked a light teasing in her question.

"Fourth year." He laughed, breathing out his smoke. "We started doing a lot of weird shit then." He tapped the embers outside the window. Jane nodded, chuckling only slightly. She wondered if James was the reason they got into this 'weird shit'. He did come to Christmas dinner high on whatever drug those Muggle kids were taking back in their third year, not long before Sirius and she had had their big fight. She also wondered if James still spent any time with those boys, she hoped not.

For a few minutes they were both silent again, the only sounds were from the dimming fire and Sirius' cigarette tapping. Finally, Jane mustered the courage to ask him.

"How'd you get that burn? Don't just tell me it was just an accident. Who did that to you and why?" Jane spoke up, taking his cigarette from his hand and taking a small puff, coughing instantly and handing it back.

Sirius smiled a bit at her coughing fit, taking the cig and twisting it out on the windowsill. "I said some things I knew I shouldn't have, but you know me. Open mouth insert foot."

"Your family did that?" Jane frowned, her mind instantly going back to the countless fights she'd had with her mum.

"My Mum did." Sirius nodded. He stood quickly before Jane could say any more and went back up stairs. "Night, Birdie." He called behind him.

"Night Sirius." She whispered after him. Her eyes burned as she thought about his words. Sirius Black was always the one to understand her. Never judging her whenever she complained about her family-about her mum. He was sometimes her rock when RJ couldn't be, or when she couldn't bring herself to make RJ do it, and he was going through the same problems at his own home. The same problems and Jane never knew. She never asked how he could understand her as he said he did. She never bothered to look deeper; she always let her current emotions cloud any that were forming. She was a git.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

"You going to class anytime today?" James nudged Sirius' leg, tugging his tie on straight.

"Meh." Sirius groaned, gripping his pillow tighter.

"Get up!" James laughed, yanking the blankets off of him. Sirius let out a sharp whine as the cool air hit him. "Don't be such a baby, you went to bed before I did."

"And you snored more than I did, so what?" Sirius complained, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"Don't pay attention to him James, he's just tired. You went down and talked to Jane, didn't you?" RJ asked loading up his bag.

"You woke Jane up to talk about…that?" James frowned. He hated to think about his best mate and his sister in anyway that wasn't platonic.

"I didn't wake her up, she couldn't sleep either. We talked though, and she's cool about it. She's great an all, but we'd kill each other. It'd be like you and Evans hooking up." Sirius laughed, getting ready himself.

"Hey, me and Evans would be awesome together. Her brains, my brains-" James laughed, tossing a sock at Sirius' head.

"Don't you think it'd get crowded with that big head of yours?" Jane smiled, leaning against the door way. The boys jumped, turning to face her.

"Don't you knock? I could've been naked." Sirius scoffed, buttoning his shirt.

"Nothing I haven't seen before. Did you finish your History of Magic homework RJ?" Jane asked him, her voice as cool to Sirius now as it had been when they first met.

"Yeah, I'll give it to you in the Common Room." RJ nodded, letting her lead the way down.

"She's okay about it?" James raised an eyebrow at his best mate.

"She _seemed_ okay about it…" Sirius shrugged, grabbing a tie to replace his missing belt.

"You're mad at him, aren't you?" RJ laughed, flopping onto the couch and fishing out his homework.

"Drunk doesn't count? What kind of bogus reasoning is that shit?" Jane shook her head, taking the parchment from him and filling in the missing information on her own homework.

"His." RJ sighed. He knew Sirius had a tendency to cop out whenever he could, but he also figured Sirius cared enough for Jane to give her an actual reason and not just the same spiel he gave every other person after he drank too much. "James is pretty squeaked by the thought of his sister and best mate, you know. That might be part of what's got Sirius so lost for words."

"James is grossed out by me and Sirius, but I'm supposed to be okay with how he acts about Lily? Real mature." Jane scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Even more than that, though…Sirius would rather stay friends with James than be with me. I'm hearing that loud and clear. Sirius doesn't like me, so I should stop liking him. Easy as that."

"Janey…" RJ frowned, touching her knee lightly.

"Thanks for the blanks, Remus. I'll let you copy my Dark Arts homework tonight." She forced a smiled, quickly gathering her things. She shouldered her bag and ran out of the Common Room as she heard footsteps coming down from the Boys Dorm.

"See ya in Potions Janey Bird!" Sirius waved after her.

"Don't call me that, prick!" She cursed at him over her shoulder.

"What'd I do, Birdie?" He frowned.

"Bugger off!" She yelled as the door shut behind her.

Sirius stared at it for a while, before looking at James for the answers. He shrugged.

Their free time quickly dwindled as OWLs approached. Jane spent every moment she could either studying what need to be reviewed or slipping out the Girls' Dorm window and down to the Grounds using a levitation spell she quickly mastered, out of necessity. The Prophet spoke more and more of 'Vixen'-and more and more often their words weren't always the best choices.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Jane came into the Common Room and stopped short when she saw Lily sitting on the couch closest to the fire, sobbing.

"Lily, what happened? What'd James say?" She dropped her books instantly, rushing to her friend's side.

"James didn't say…He…after Defense Against the Dark Arts…and they were…and Sev…" Lily rambled, taking deep gasping breath.

"Lily, calm down. What did James _do_?" Jane eyed her, gripping Lily's hand in hers.

"He…He was picking at Severus and I tried to help and…he called me a…A Mudblood." Lily struggled to get out, her tears streaming faster.

"James called you _what_?" Jane snapped, furious.

"No, Jane! James tried to defend me, in his own twisted way. _Severus_ called me… that."

Jane couldn't believe that. She had seen Severus in the corridors between classes, and he had changed a bit, but not that much. He had never said so, but Jane knew he had strong feelings for Lily-he perhaps even loved her. She couldn't believe he would do something like that. Maybe Jane really didn't know him at all. "Lily…" Jane sighed, throwing her arms around her, hugging her tightly. Lily returned the hug just as tight, nodding into her shoulder. The tears were still flowing.

Jane looked up from Lily, her eyes widening when she saw her brother-namely the look on her brother's face. He looked like he was going to be sick. Was it finally sinking in to him how stupid he had been acting for the last five years? Sirius and the other Marauders joined James, looking at the girl's on the couch.

"You don't need him, Evans. I say good riddance." Sirius smiled, leaning on James' shoulder. "Snivulus is a prick anyway."

"That 'prick' was my best friend! Then _your _family and those fake friends of his had to go and change him into someone he's not!" Lily snapped, yanking away from Jane to turn and face the boys.

"Lily…" Jane whispered, looking over to Sirius. She couldn't read his face, and that worried her.

"Is that why you hate me, Evans? Because my _family_ took your best mate under their wings and you don't like how he turned out? That's not my fault. I'm not them." Sirius' arm dropped off James' shoulder and back to his side.

"You're sure? You and your cousins sure seem to share the same kind sick humor, though! You're just as much to blame as Mulciber and Avery are!" Lily shot back to him.

"Sirius, come downstairs with me." RJ tugged at Sirius' sleeve, as Wormtail pushed at his shoulder trying to lead him out. Sirius shrugged them off and stormed out, the two Marauders followed after him.

James took a deep breath before he spoke, "Don't blame Sirius. He's not like his family and he's not to blame. I am."

"You are! You're just as responsible as he is!" Lily narrowed her eyes.

"No, not 'just as'. I'm fully responsible; I'm the one who held him up not Sirius." James repeated, struggling to keep his calm.

"Get out, James." Lily sighed, turning away from him.

"I am sorry, Lily." James nodded, leaving. Jane watched as her brother left, the crushed look that was in his eyes made her hurt. Yes, he could be a bigheaded toe-rag, but he was a decent person that really cared about Lily. Jane wished she could tell if Lily even platonically felt the same way for him.

"He is sorry…" Jane said quietly, wrapping her arm around her.

"Doesn't change what he did. You weren't there, Jane. You didn't hear it. I…I called him Snivulus." Lily sniffed, leaning against Jane.

"You two will work it out." Jane rubbed her head gently.

"I doubt think we will, Janey. I hear him call every other Muggle-born student that word too, it wasn't anything James did to him-I'll admit that-but I just can't deal with him and Severus. I've never been so happy to go home, and this is even with Petunia bringing her boyfriend over."

Jane nodded, knowing exactly what Lily was going through. She'd felt the same way when her and RJ hadn't been speaking.

The last of their exams flew by, and the next thing Jane knew classes were over and Hogwarts was closing for the Summer. Jane carefully hid away from everyone, not wanting them to know where she was now living in the Summer. The next day she was back at work at the Three Broomsticks. Her bags unpacked in her room.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

James dried his hair quickly with his sopped and beat up Quidditch shirt. He couldn't believe Sirius had shoved him off his broom like that. He laughed now at the memory, glad he had taken his best mate down with him.

"Charlus, think about this. It's their world he's trying to shatter, why shouldn't they know about it?" James instantly went silent, pressing his ear against the closed door to hear better. It was his dad and…Moody. Talking about what?

"Alastor, they're still children. Children who already have it in their heads that this mad man will blow over whenever they join the Aurors. You know how Jane is." Charlus sighed, scooting a chair back. "I'm getting far too old for this." He said. James frowned at the sound in his voice. His father sounded much older, and far too tired. It worried James.

"James!" Jane called from the top of the stairs.

"Shh!" He hissed, jumping.

"Don't worry, we're done." Mad-Eye smirked, opening the door. James laughed nervously, moving out of the way. "Hello, Jane." He nodded to her as they passed by each other.

"Hey, Mad-Eye." She nodded back to him, skipping to her brother and father. "Hey, Daddy. How are you?" She asked smiling.

"I'm…tired." He laughed gently. "You two behave, I'm going to take a nap." He patted Jane's shoulder lightly as he followed after Mad-Eye down the stairs.

"Is Dad okay?" Jane frowned, turning to James. She had the exact same look on her face as her brother had had the moment he first heard his father's sigh.

"Yeah." James nodded, forcing a smile. "He's just working too hard. You know how Dad is."

Jane nodded, though she didn't fully believe her brother. "So, know if RJ's home?"

"I think so. Padfoot and I were thinking about going over and making him swim in that pond out in the field, but we remembered it's only a few days after so he probably wouldn't be up for anything like that." James smiled honestly as he explained.

"So that's why you and your clothes smell like muddy water. Go shower, prat." She laughed, shoving him in the chest.

"I will, just one question. Evans' okay, right?" He asked, his smile still obvious but at the same time Jane saw the worry clearly exposed.

"She's holding up. It's kind of hard for her to be stuck with her sister and her boyfriend all summer, but she says 'that's just how life is'. You feel really bad for pranking Severus like that don't you?" Jane smiled slightly.

"Pranking him, no. Making him call her a…you-know-what. I ruined their friendship, and yeah. I feel bad for it. Sick even." He sighed.

"That knock you're feeling in your stomach, Mr. Potter, is called guilt. You shouldn't be feeling it for this. You should feel it for everything else you've done, but not this. Severus changed after we broke up. He didn't do it because of me, it just happened then. He was probably different even when we were dating, I was just too blind to see it." His sister ruffled his damp hair, "She'll be okay, and back to hating you before we both know it."

"Don't laugh, but I don't really like her hating me. I like her, really like her." James said quietly.

Jane smiled, leaning close to him. "I know. The entire school knows. It's bloody obvious."

"Then why doesn't Lily?" He groaned.

"She does, she just thinks you're being your typical player self. You have a tendency to flirt with girls and make them like you and drop 'em like cheap meat."

"So does Sirius!"

"Yeah, and people hate that about him too." She snapped, rolling her eyes.

"Hasn't stopped Robin from owling him like crazy since we left the train." He shrugged.

"What?" Jane stared at him shocked. Of course some girl had been owling him, he was fucking Sirius Black. "That's her problem."

"Sure, it is. I'm gonna go wash up. You staying for dinner?" James raised an eyebrow, figuring it better to not question her attitude toward Sirius.

"I might be back. I have to stop by RJ's for a bit and talk to him, but I'll try to come back here before I head home." Jane said, heading down the stairs quickly.

James shook his head, _Maybe all Potters have trouble with love_.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Jane pushed her frustration with Sirius aside as she knocked on RJ's door. After another narrow escape the night before, Jane wasn't finding her solo escapades very much fun anymore.

"Jane! My, you've grown." Mrs. Lupin beamed, throwing her arms around Jane. "All dressed up for Remus?" She chuckled.

"No, not just for him." Jane laughed, tugging her tank top down. "Is he in his room?"

"He's downstairs, cleaning the basement." Mrs. Lupin nodded, guiding Jane into the house.

"Mind if I go help him?" Jane asked, already on her way.

"You're almost too old for me to stop you." Mrs. Lupin called after Jane.

"True." Jane laughed. She ran down the stairs two at a time, calling out, "Remus! Remy!"

"In here, Jane!" RJ called back over the sound of clanks and crashes.

"Rough transformation?" She frowned, looking around. A tattered mattress sat in one corner under an open window, its shredded sheets in a heap by the door.

"No worse than normal, I just haven't been down here to clean any of it up since Christmas." He laughed, turning to look at her. "What brings you away from Moody's?"

"I wanted to talk to you about something. Do you remember ages ago when I mentioned something about fighting Voldemort?" Jane bit her lip worriedly as she made her way to the sad looking mattress.

"No…" He said slowly, setting the plastic bag, he was filling with trash down and turning his full attention to her. "Wait, yeah. I thought you were just kidding. You were serious about that?"

"Of course I was serious about it. I-" Jane stopped, reading his eyes. Perhaps it wouldn't be such a good idea to tell him she was Vixen just yet. "I think we should work together. Talk to some Aurors at the Ministry, certain Professors at Hogwarts."

"You're up to something." He groaned, marching to her side. "Spill, Jane Potter."

"I've been…watching them. Sending the information along. I just think that we need to do something, something more than just having me sending owls to Mad-Eye and my dad at the Ministry." Jane recovered quickly. He'd worry, she knew that-and hated it when she was the cause of it.

"Merlin, Jane! I thought you were just getting a bit too rough at Quidditch, I didn't think…Fuck." He groaned again, sitting next to her and scratching his forehead. Jane bit her lip at the curse word, no way to back out now. He knew.

"I've been getting hurt yeah, but, Remus, none of my injuries have been anything worse than I've gotten at being too rough at Quidditch in the past. Don't look at me like that, RJ. I couldn't just sit around and do nothing in my life. I had to have control over _something_."

"So you pick the most dangerous aspect? The most illegal thing to do. You're just lucky they haven't caught on that a sixteen year old girl is using magic illegally, not to mention that she's doing it as some vigilante." RJ laid back on the bed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Jane laid back with him, cuddling against his side, "RJ, I've thought this through. They cannot get you if you're using someone else's wand. I used to use my dad's wand all the time when I was younger. That's why I have such top marks. I've done all of the spells before, and mastered them in class. I've been using Mad-Eye's wand, he set it out for me."

"You've been using Mad-Eye Moody's wand that he just _left_ out? Why would he just leave his wand out?" RJ rolled his eyes, shooting her a look.

"Because he doesn't use a typical wand anymore, he has his walking staff now. He trusts me and my skill. I haven't gotten killed yet, _RJ_." Jane sighed, finding his lectures getting annoying.

"Whatever." He grumbled, deciding to change the subject rather than continue their bickering. "Still mad at Sirius?"

"Of course, I am. When you like someone, you forget all of the things that made you hate them before. He's immature, and stuck in his world, and a bloody suck up prick." She sighed, picking at his shirt, "Why did your mum think I was dressed up for you?"

"I never really got around to telling her we broke up, and then when Lily owled me last summer and ended it I couldn't exactly have done it then so…" RJ shrugged embarrassed.

"So she thinks that…Oh, Merlin!" Jane rolled against him laughing harder. "Wow, you ever going to tell her?"

"Eventually. Maybe." He laughed along with her, leaning his head back against the mattress. "So you're really over Sirius then? Just like that?"

Jane kissed his cheek lightly, smiling. "Of course." _Not._


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Jane took the Night Bus back to Hogsmeade that night, getting back to the Three Broomsticks just in time for her shift. "Hey, Rosemerta!" She called, tying her apron on.

"Where've you been all afternoon, girl?" She scoffed, handing Jane her trays. "Tables six and seven."

"Visiting James." Jane laughed, taking the trays in her hands, "Been busy today?" She called over her shoulder, taking the customers their orders.

"Just picking up." Rosemerta called, getting to work.

"Lucky me." Jane laughed, winking at the customers at table six. One of the men lifted his glass to her at this.

Her shift went on, the hours clicking by slowly. Typically Jane never had too many problems with her patrons, just a few bold flirts, but every once in a while she would have to slap a few hands away.

"Hey, pretty bird! Bottle of Firewhiskey!" A voice shot out his order to her.

"One moment sir." Jane sighed, rolling her eyes at his rudeness. She turned to look at who had just come in and froze. Sitting in the back of the room next to the window was Sirius Black. She took a deep breath, looking around for Rosemerta. Maybe she could wiggle her way out and get off early, no luck. Rosemerta was no where to be found. With a small whine Jane turned and grabbed a bottle from under the counter and carried it over to him. "Here. Don't say I never did anything for you." She grumbled, slamming the bottle down on his table.

"Janey Bird?" Sirius stared at her, flipping his hair out of his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"I work here." She said quietly.

"Why? Potters don't have to work." He laughed, popping the cap off the bottle.

"Maybe I _want_ to?" She snapped at him.

"Jane!" Rosemerta called out, frustrated.

"I have to go. We're getting swamped." Jane sighed, turning to leave his table for another.

"When do you get off?" Sirius smirked a bit.

"Eleven." Jane called over her shoulder, clearing the empty tables.

"I'll be here." He nodded, leaning back. He took a quick swig of the whiskey, coughing quickly. Jane shook her head, trying not to laugh. He tried so hard to impress her like he did the other girls that now she just found it funny rather than annoying.

As Jane worked she couldn't help but keep an eye over at Sirius' table. He wasn't lying when he said he'd wait for her, though she wished he would have stopped ordering. Eleven o'clock chimed in and Jane folded her apron up. Most of The Three Broomsticks was empty, not many people stayed in past midnight.

"So, what are you doing here?" Jane asked, sitting across from him in the rounded booth, her own bottle in hand.

"Had to get away from that place, so I thought why not go for a drink, and so here I am." Sirius shrugged with a laugh.

"The Marauders often drink alone?" She shook her head at his story, taking a drink from hers.

"Not really alone when I come here, that's why I didn't choose Diagon Alley. Just the right about of people here." He smiled, taking another drink.

"Yeah, usually." Jane shrugged, glancing around them. She didn't like how secluded they were now. She needed to get over him, and sitting in a pub with nearly two bottles already in him wasn't really the most conventional way of doing it. "Sirius, you ever think you need to lay off the Firewhiskey? I mean, it made you snog _me_." She chuckled, trying to lighten her voice. She hated how she thought about it. Just a mistake.

"Hmm?" He asked, finishing off his second bottle. "Janey, you don't let anything go, do you? The Firewhiskey didn't _make _me snog you, but, more than that, nothing forced you to snog me back. You act so bloody high and mighty, but you liked it. You want me to do it again, but I won't. I bloody screw everything else up in my life, I'm not going to screw over my best mates too."

"That's what it's really about? Sirius, you're worried about what James might think? I'm a big girl, Sirius Black, and James Potter doesn't control me _or_ who I snog. I dated Severus Snape didn't I? I want a real answer, bugger. Why am I such a mistake?" Jane snapped at him, downing her bottle to keep her from saying anything-especially something that she'd hate having to talk to him about later.

"Not just Prongs, Janey. Moony too. I'd screw us up, I know it. I can't even keep a stable friendship with you. How would we ever be able to make it as a bloody couple? I don't want to hurt you." He grumbled, slumping in his seat.

"You don't want to hurt me? Bloody…I'd screw us up before you would. You're the one trying to be friends with me, and I'm the one who can't stand to be around you. You're not the screw up Sirius, I am." Jane frowned, her mum's voice yelling in her head. "You've done nothing but try to help me, half the time, but what have I done for you? Nothing! I've just made everything worse for you. You're the only one that understands what it's like for me and I haven't even tried helping you."

"Only one that sort of understands." He corrected her, "_My _mum hasn't kicked me out." He smiled playfully. The two laughed, nodding and leaning against the other. Jane smiled up at Sirius, blushing a bit once she realized her arms were wrapped around his waist. She didn't care though, she did the same thing to RJ. It was perfectly alright to do anything with Sirius that she did with RJ, Jane reassured herself. He smiled down at her, his lips pressing lightly against the top of her head. The kiss was so brief that Jane assumed she'd imagined it.


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

The night before was mostly a haze that hurt Jane's head to think about. She didn't know exactly what all they said, but she did know that she and Sirius Black were friends finally. It was the best compromise, she thought, when you couldn't have them any other way. She thought she understood Severus Snape a lot more. She rubbed her head with a groan. She wished her life wasn't so complicated. Wishing it would go back to how it had been before Hogwarts, living at home and playing Quidditch with her brother, but she knew she couldn't do that. Sixth Year started in a little over a month and the Prophets talked more and more of missing Witches and Wizards. Of missing Squibs. Of missing Muggle-borns. It worried her. What if Lily was next? Or her family? What if it was RJ? Or _his_ family? Grayback had to be working for Voldemort, that was just his type-crazy-and Grayback terrified RJ for some reason. Jane hated the thought that something worried her best mate like that. Hated it.

She wished she could be back at Hogwarts already. To already, have everything bought and paid for. Jane found herself wishing for things more and more since she started living above the Three Broomsticks, and she seemed to be achieving them less and less. Jane threw on another tank top and her bellbottoms. She was just going to Diagon Alley, no real need to get dressed up. She grabbed her savings from work, and ran downstairs to hitch a ride from Hogsmeade Station. She made her way to a compartment, settling in for the short ride. The compartment door slid open shortly after she sat down,

"Jane Potter?" A voice asked surprised.

Jane looked up quickly from the window, looking more shocked than surprised. "Harrison?"

"You've grown up." He smiled, sitting down across from her. Jane bit her lip and nodded.

"That's what happens over _five_ years." Jane rolled her eyes a bit.

"Still feisty, I see." Harrison laughed. He still looked the same as he had back in her first year, just a bit older now. His hair was shorter, but his robes didn't look like he'd bought a new pair since their incident in his seventh year. His accent was virtually gone now, though he never had much of an accent to begin with unlike the other Durmstrang boys did anyway. "Are you heading to Diagon Alley too? I've got a job offer with the Ministry, you know?" He bragged, leaning back in his seat.

Harrison linked his hands behind his head, his sleeves moving up just enough for Jane to see a strange looking tattoo on his right arm. She didn't mean to stare, but she knew she'd seen that mark before. Where? What was it?

He smirked at her staring, leaning forward again, and taking his wand out to lock their door. Jane stiffened, she hated feeling cornered but she had to keep it together. She couldn't let Harrison, of all people; see how he got to her.

"I've made some new friends since I graduated." He lifted his sleeve up, flashing the rest of the tattoo. Her eyes glanced down at his wrist and back to his eyes quickly. She knew where she'd seen it. He was one of them. He had a Death Eater's mark on his arm. Fitting. "You were always pretty skilled with a wand, if I remember correctly. One of the things I really liked about you."

"Here I always thought it was because you couldn't get anyone other than a stupid Firstie." Jane chuckled before she could really control her tongue.

Harrison's smirk fell just slightly, "You never acted much like a First Year, up until a point." He sneered quickly, smiling again just as fast. "I think you should come by once you're of age. I'll Owl you the location. You still at Beauxbatons?"

"No, actually I go to Hogwarts. I'm going to get a few supplies before Sixth Year starts." Jane smiled her mind working. If she 'joined' the Death Eaters then she could find out who all was one of them-for starters. She could find out where they would attack and possibly warn the people, and if not warn them she could tip off the Ministry…or the Order she and RJ were going to form. "I would love to hear more about these friends of yours. Be sure to Owl me. I turn seventeen March of next year." She said, turning on the charms.

The Whistle blew loudly as the train jerked to a stop. "I'll be sure to. You'll love it. You're really looking good Janey." He grinned, speaking quickly as Jane rose and unlocked the door. He stood as well, trying to stay close to her.

"Don't call me that." Jane said coldly, flinging the door open and marching out to the Platform. She sighed deeply once she felt he wasn't behind her. _What did I just do_? She worried, blending in with the crowds of families shopping for their school years.

Jane shook her head, _Don't worry. You're doing this to help everyone. It'll work out and nothing bad will happen to you. _Jane smiled, believing herself.

"Janey Bird!"

She looked up, her smile instantly growing. "Hey!" She called back, hurrying toward him.


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

"You here all by yourself?" Sirius asked, taking Jane's hand gently.

"Yup. Here to check out the local drinks?" Jane teased, nudging him with her shoulder.

He let out a barking laugh, one Jane hadn't heard in awhile. She was surprised how much she'd missed it. "May need to once this is all over." He whispered into her ear. Jane laughed into his shoulder. She didn't mind when Sirius leaned back in return.

"Sirius." A woman snapped. Their heads shot up to look at the woman, their laughter gone instantly. "Who is this?" The woman crossed her arms. Jane studied the woman, seeing her own mother's piercing eyes staring back at her.

"Oh, Mum, this is Jane. Janey, this is my mum." Sirius smiled, squeezing Jane's hand as he looked between the two.

"Jane?" Mrs. Black raised an eyebrow. The way she said Jane's name made it sound as if the very syllables burnt her tongue.

"Potter." Jane clarified, holding out her right hand for the woman. She forced her most polite smile, suddenly feeling as if she was back in Beauxbatons all over again. "Dora and-"

"Charlus, I know." Mrs. Black almost smiled, her eyes studying the girl and her son.

"Yeah." Jane nodded, finding herself blushing lightly under the woman's gaze. Sirius fidgeted against her. "Um…I just got my letter for this term and I thought I'd better get my supplies."

"This is a good decision, _why_ Regulus?" Mrs. Black called over her shoulder, her eyes never leaving Sirius and Jane.

"Because only fools procrastinate, Mother." Regulus piped up, pulling his face away from the Quidditch Supplies Shoppe.

"Correct." She said turning to him and smiling. Jane and Sirius shared a glance and a silent sigh. "Now come here."

Regulus obeyed unquestioning, smirking at Jane once he saw her, "You invited the Mudblood lover?" He asked his brother. Sirius rolled his eyes at the thirteen-year-old, just as surprised as Jane did when Mrs. Black's hand slapped the back of her youngest son's head.

"Behave and don't call Miss Potter such names." She snapped at him. Regulus nodded, mumbling an apology to Jane.

"Ten Gallons say she's only acting like this in hopes we get hitched and half your family's fortune goes to the Blacks." Sirius whispered quietly in her ear. Jane shook her head. The idea was preposterous, but exactly at the same time completely expected from what she'd heard of the woman.

"Should we say we're not dating?" Jane whispered back.

"I don't see how her thinking we are hurts anything. Do you?" He smiled. Jane opened her mouth to contradict him before she closed it just as quickly. "Good." He chuckled, kissing her gently.

Surprised Jane took a moment to return it, just before he pulled away again. She blushed under his gaze before regaining control over herself and wrapping her arm around his neck and gave him a proper snog. If they were going to kiss for his mum, Jane wasn't about to waste it.

"Miss Potter." Mrs. Black gasped, shocked. Even Regulus was at a loss for words.

"Jane Marie!" James called out.

Jane felt Sirius pull away at the sound of James' voice, but she soon felt him kiss her even firmer-his free arm wrapped around her waist.


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43

"Jane Marie!" James called out.

Jane felt Sirius pull away at the sound of James' voice, but she soon felt him kiss her even firmer-his free arm wrapped around her waist. The two slowly broke apart, the dorkiest smiles on their faces.

"Mrs. Black, you don't mind if I steal Sirius for the day, do you?" Jane asked, cuddling up against the woman's oldest son.

"I know young love when I see it." Mrs. Black shook her head, her cold appearance completely warm toward Jane. "We'll be at Olivander's at 6:30 to fix your brother's wand. Be there." She ordered Sirius, just as cold as ever. She grabbed Regulus' wrist and dragged him off-toward Knockturn Alley they were all sure.

"Love you too, Mum." Sirius grumbled lightly, the smile still there.

"What is going on with you two?" James ordered to know, marching toward them before RJ could.

"Obviously they were snogging, doesn't take Merlin to see that." RJ laughed, eyeing the two suspiciously.

"I _know_ that Moony. What I want to know _why_?" James snapped at them.

"It was just for show." Jane laughed, patting Sirius' chest.

"To get my mum off my case." Sirius laughed along, squeezing her hand.

"Then why don't you two get _off_ each other and explain!" James groaned. Sirius and Jane looked at each other for a moment before they realized just what James was talking about. Slowly they broke apart, still smiling as goofy as ever.

"I was talking with Jane and-"

"His mum thought-"

"We were together."

"So we figured we'd just let her."

"And so, ergo, the snogging." The two finished for the other.

"Good." James laughed, breathing a sigh of relief. "I wasn't too sure if I could handle my best mate hooking up with my sister behind my back."

"Never, Prongs. Never." Sirius laughed along with him.

"We weren't doing anything behind your back." Jane rolled her eyes.

"Last I heard you were going to try to be friends with her." James ignored his sister, "Did that change?"

"Quit worrying, James." Sirius brushed him off.

"Are we going to get supplies or are you two boys going to stand around talking about me like I'm not here?" Jane folded her arms.

"Jane's right, we came here school and my parents expect me to come back with supplies for said school." RJ shook his head.

"Yeah, you're right Moony. First stop, Quidditch Supplies." James grinned, grabbing Sirius' arm and dragging him toward the shop. Jane sighed, starting after them.

RJ stopped her, "Hold up, Jane. Don't act like I didn't see the way you and Sirius looked at each other after that kiss. I've never seen him look so unlike himself. I thought you said you were over him. Were you lying to me?"

"Not really lying. RJ…He wants to be just friends. He doesn't wanna mess up what he has with you and James. He doesn't want to mess up what he has with me." Jane sighed, "But all it makes me want to do is punch James in the nose."

"But you haven't." RJ smiled, "That's a great sign you're more mature."

"Shut up." Jane laughed, shoving him lightly.

"I don't care if you and Sirius get together or not, I just don't want either of you to get hurt. And James…Well James can just bugger off." RJ laughed.


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Summer came and went, and no matter how much Jane tried to think about anything else her mind kept going right back to the only sober kiss she'd shared with the most infuriating and charming bloke she knew. She tugged her robes straight as she waited to climb into the carriages on their way up to school, for one of the last times.

"Hey." A voice whispered in her ear, a pair of arms around her stomach suddenly.

"Whoa!" Jane jumped, whipping around, "Sirius!" She grinned, hugging him tightly.

"I didn't see you on the train. Were you up front?" He asked, keeping his arms secure around her.

"I, um," Jane thought for a moment. Why couldn't she lie to him? She hadn't told anyone else about the fight with Mad-Eye, why tell Sirius? _I can't do this_, Jane frowned. "I wasn't on the train. I don't just work at The Three Broomsticks; I live in a room above it. You know how James told you I got in that fight with my mum the end of third year, I moved in with Mad-Eye after that and around Fourth Year we got into a fight ourselves and he kicked me out. So, I moved into The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade."

"Oh, Birdie…" Sirius frowned too, pulling her closer. "I didn't know. I'm…I'm sorry. Have you talked to your parents? Seen if you can move back in?"

Jane shook her head, "James obviously didn't tell you how bad it was for me there. I'm not moving back in with _her_."

Sirius hugged her again, once again a loss for words around her. "You're doing okay though?" He asked quietly, "I just want you to be okay."

"I am okay, Sirius." She smiled up at him. "I've always been more mature than everyone else, living alone doesn't change that."

Sirius took Jane's hand, tugging her around to the other side of the carriage, "You know I couldn't stop thinking about what happened at Diagon Alley. I know that kiss was just for show, but you snog good."

Jane laughed. _Could he have sounded more like a troll? _"I know what you mean. I feel the same way." She admitted sheepishly.

"We're not going to be able to be Just Friends are we?" Sirius asked. His voice sounded just as embarrassed as Jane's did.

"Not if we keep snogging like this." Jane nodded. Why did they have to be friends at all? Why couldn't they just be together?

"I'm trying to make everyone happy here, Jane." Sirius said, taking a few deep breaths. "We can't do that kind of thing anymore. No matter how much fun it is at the time."

"You're trying to make everyone else happy, Sirius. Everyone that's not _you_. If you want to snog me, snog me. Who bloody cares if James doesn't like it? He'll get over it eventually. He's your best mate, he should _want _you to be happy and that should include possibly dating me." Jane sighed.

"You really think that?" James frowned, coming around the carriage.

"James!" Jane groaned.

"Prongs, we were just talking." Sirius laughed.

"Where are RJ and Peter?" Jane asked, trying to change the subject.

"Shut up Jane. Do you really like my sister, Padfoot?" James stepped closer to them.

"James-" Jane tried to interject.

"Not now, Jane. Do you like Janey, Padfoot? I only ask because if you really did you would have told me to fuck off by now. So. You like her?" James raised an eyebrow.

"Fuck off, Prongs." Sirius laughed, flashing a crooked smile.

James smirked at him, before turning his back on the couple and calling out to their friends, "Moony! Wormtail! Hurry up! I want to get to the Castle before all the good seats are gone." Jane and Sirius shared a large smile, and James looked at the two over his shoulder quickly. "Well, quit keeping her waiting and snog her."

Sirius smiled, pulling Jane to him. She smiled back, surprised when they switched places and even more surprised when she felt the carriage against her back and Sirius' lips against hers.

Jane kissed him back, her hand resting against his jaw as his hands rested on her hips.


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Lily scoffed as she finally made her way into the Gryffindor Common Room. Sirius was laughing at something RJ had said, and Jane was saying something about it. Lily stood with her arms crossed behind the five Sixth Years, amazed at the scene in front of her. It wasn't Peter and his smaller sized clothes, or the smile on RJ's face. Sirius had his arm around Jane's shoulder, picking at her brown hair.

"Jane, what's up?" Lily asked confused, leaning against the couch the couple sat on.

"Hey, Lily!" Jane smiled, leaning her head back to look up at her.

"Hey, Evans." Sirius waved, looking over at her as well.

"Hi…" Lily replied. She looked to James for some kind of explanation.

"Yeah. Together." He mouthed nodding his head toward his sister and best mate.

"Potter, can I talk to you?" Lily asked, walking away from the group quickly.

"Um…yeah." James hurried to his feet and followed her. The two walked up the Boys' Dorm stairs.

"Look at that." Sirius laughed, watching them before looking back at the other Marauders.

"About time." Peter laughed as well.

"I don't think they're doing what you two think they're doing…" Jane shook her head.

"You mean they're not being civil? Even better for ol' Prongs." Sirius laughed, patting Jane's shoulder.

"You mean they're actually talking?" Peter asked.

"She's not Cynthia." RJ rolled his eyes at his mate.

"You're okay with that?" Lily sighed, sitting on the end of a bed-his.

"Yeah. Padfoot's a great bloke, sure he's a bit stupid at times, but he's great." James chuckled, sitting next to her.

"Great? He's the most unfaithful git in this school! Well, next to you." She groaned, leaning back onto the bed.

James followed suit, running a hand through his hair, "Oh yeah, so unfaithful. Sticking with the same skank for years, and never doing anything more than flirt with another girl. He's very unfaithful. Not to mention how I'm neither unfaithful nor a git. I've never cheated on a girl, at all."

"Says the bloke that had three girlfriends at one time." Lily scoffed, looking over at him.

"Three _snogging partners_, not girlfriends. They're different." James argued, shooting her his own glare.

"Doesn't make it any better. I'd never settle for being anyone's _snogging partner_." Lily shook her head, picking at the bed sheet.

"I'd never let that happen." James said quietly, sitting up.

"What?" She asked, sitting up herself, "What'd you just say, Potter?"

James turned to face her quickly, much closer to Lily than either thought he would be. "I said that I'd never let that happen. You're better than 'just a snogging partner'. Whoever gets you has the best." He sighed, getting off the bed and opening the trunk at the foot of it.

"James…" Lily said quietly, frowning. She stared at him as he dug through the trunk. _Why couldn't he always be this sweet? _Was _he always this sweet and I just never noticed?_ Lily wondered, before speaking up. "Whose stuff are you going through now, James?"

"Mine. You're sitting on _my_ bed, Lily." He laughed, taking out one of his Quidditch books.

"I'm doing what?" She looked at him shocked.

"You heard me. Only took me six years to get you into my bed." James laughed, standing up.

"Shut up." Lily scoffed, taking his book from his hand and swatting at his shoulder a few times.

"I'm kidding!" James laughed, cowering playfully.

"Not. Funny. James!" Lily yelled, laughing herself eventually.

"Is too!" James laughed, lunging at her, and knocking Lily back onto the bed.

"Hey, James!" Jane called, running up the stairs. Behind her were the sounds of three other sets of feet behind her even.

"Get off!" Lily laughed, wiggling under James' tickling hands.

"Yo Prongs!" Sirius smirked, folding his arms.

"They're going to play Quidditch, you want to come?" RJ asked, smiling.

"You want to come-" James got out before a beat red Lily pushed James off her and ran past the intruders and down to the Common Room. "-Watch us play Quidditch…" James finished staring bewildered after her.

"_Talking_ huh?" Sirius teased.

"Shut up." James rolled his eyes, tossing his book at his mate's head.


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46

"Do I want to know why you were with my brother on his bed earlier?" Jane laughed, whipping the caked on mud off of her face.

"We were just goofing around. Specifically, your _brother_ was goofing around. I wanted to have a serious talk with him." Lily rolled her eyes, setting her books out for their first day of classes that term.

"Sure," Jane shook her head, resolving that her face was clean enough, "but it wasn't a Sirius serious talk, right? I saw how you looked at us before you dragged James away."

"I just think it's a little weird that he suddenly likes you." Lily frowned, "I mean, it took him getting supposedly crushed by Cynthia to kiss you. I don't think the two of you will be very stable. Not to mention you two have a long history of biting each other's heads off, it'd be like me and James dating." She shrugged, smiling apologetically.

"Sirius and I may bicker a lot, but it's always over little things. We only just now got together _because _of James. He didn't want to ruin their friendship, and, as stupid and mostly immature as that is, it's kind of sweet that he cares that much about something. Wait a minute. Did you just say James?" Jane froze mid-way into bed.

"Yeah. Potter and I are always at each other's throats so it would be very similar to you and-"

"No, not that. You called him James, I don't think I've ever heard you call him James. You're falling for him. Merlin!" Jane laughed, nearly bouncing on her bed.

"I am not! I'm sure I call him James…when he earns it. After the end of last year I may have realized there are bigger gits in the school than James Potter." Lily rolled her eyes.

"Would it be so wrong to like him? James is a great guy. He has a head as thick as stone, he loves Quidditch a bit too much and his charm is infuriating when it's used on our mum, but he's an all around good guy." Jane shrugged, climbing under the sheets and rolling onto her side.

"How a guy treats his friends is no way to judge how he'll treat his girlfriend, Jane. I wouldn't be caught _dead _falling for any of that. Even if he somehow shrunk his head down to a size resembling humility he'd still have to give up Quidditch. Not fully I mean, just enough that I know I'm more important than a game." Lily shook her head.

"Whatever. Night, Lily."

"Night Jane."

Sirius tossed a pillow at RJ's head, grinning. "Come on! Pay attention to me!" He tossed another one, and another. Remus shook his head, throwing one back finally. James rolled his eyes. This was the guy that had his sister going nuts? Acting like a girl for once? Perhaps love, or something like it, was really blind.

The weeks passed and Jane and Sirius stayed together, despite their bickering and the rumors that spread about each supposed break up. Lily began hanging out with them, to only Sirius' dismay. James didn't spend much time with her outside of the Marauders and Dinner. Quidditch stole him most of the time. That or the girl he was dating that week. Jane smiled each time Lily frowned at the girl. She knew her best friend would never admit it, but the red head was getting jealous. She just hoped it wasn't too late for James to notice.


	47. Chapter 47

A/N: Sorry this has taken so long. My old laptop is about 12 years old and I've had school (not to mention the bunnies decided to run away) so...hopefully now it'll flow faster since they'll be 7th years.

Chapter 47

It was summer before any of them knew it. A rainy day trapped James inside, and so he owled Jane over. She agreed, but he knew she was only agreeing to shut him up. It was very nearly the fiftieth letter he'd sent asking that very question. A knock got the attention of the family's house elf. She screamed, though once the door was open.

James bolted down the stairs, sliding on the banister to meet both of his parents. A dark haired teenage boy stood, a motorcycle behind him. He was obviously soaked.

"Padfoot?" James frowned, pushing past the house elf to pull the Black into the house. "Get him a towel!" He snapped, scaring the small girl. She disappeared in a snap, returning shortly with a white one for him. "Mate? What's wrong?"

"Can I stay here for a few days?" Sirius choked out, the towel hanging on his shoulders. He tossed his hair back from his face to properly look at Mrs. Potter.

"Of course you can. I'll put some tea on for you." The elder woman smiled, nodding. "James, honey? Take Sirius to your room and get him a change of clothes. Alice will get one of the guest rooms set up for him." She took her husband's hand and led him to the kitchen. The boy would talk when he was ready.

Silently James led his best mate up the stairs. Neither broke the silence more than they had to. A 'this should fit' from James and a 'thanks' from Sirius was the extent of their conversation in his room. It wasn't until he showed him to the guest room that anything real was said.

"She kicked me out." Sirius ruffled his curling hair. It had gotten long over the few weeks since school. Nearly touched his shoulders it was so long. "My mum told me to get out like I was one of the house Elves. Threw a sock at me even." He muttered a curse, tugging at the pants he'd borrowed.

"Mate, I…I'm sorry. You know you can stay here, don't you? Long as you need to. Forever if you want." James touched Sirius' shoulder gently, the door behind them opening as Alice lugged a trunk around a pair of torn converse.

"What's wrong?" Jane frowned. Sirius took James' hand in his, a look of 'don't' filled his eyes.

"Nothing. Sirius just got caught in the rain on his way over. Spending the summer with us. I forgot mum and dad had said yes." James laughed, giving the shoulder a friendly squeeze. "What are you doing in here?"

"This _was_ my room. Guess mum couldn't wait to turn it into something decent when I left." She shrugged, leaning against the door frame, her bag hanging limply at her side. She'd come to stay over.

"That was a while ago, Jane. Only last summer did she really do anything to it. All your stuff you left's still in it's place though. Dad made sure of it." James glanced between the two. Sirius seemed to refuse to look at Jane. She didn't have it as bad, compared to him, but she could still understand.

"Huh." Jane rolled her eyes, turning on her heel to find a new room, he supposed.

"You'll tell her?" James asked, his hand falling down.

"Eventually. Maybe." Sirius grumbled.

James nodded, giving Sirius one last pat and left, to let him settle into the room.

The house was tense for weeks. Sirius spent most of his time in Jane's old room, claiming to not be hungry and sending owls back and forth to Merlin knew who. Jane was getting testy. She knew he was hiding something and no one in the house would tell her. James always made up an excuse to not tell her and her mum and dad were just as tight lipped. Near the end of Summer she finally managed to catch him on his way out of her room.

"Sirius Black. What the Hell is going on here?" She snapped, her arms folded across her chest. Again he was wearing James' clothes. His must have been dirty, scattered across her, or rather his, room. He cursed, nearing Jane to push her against the wall behind her. She stared at him, shocked. Her hands went to his arms, trying to study the intent in his eyes.

"I have no money, no property and I am entirely dependant upon that bizarre lunatic my uncle." Sirius said in a hurry, hearing James come up the stairs. "I cannot yet offer you marriage, but you must know what I feel." He took exactly two deep breaths before speaking again, quieter. As if their conversation had to be a secret. "Jane I am yours. Gah, I am yours. I am yours heart and soul. What good that is…" Sirius sighed with a sarcastic laugh.

"Let me decide that." Jane whispered in return, smiling gently.

"She's kicked me out. Threw her own sock at my head and told me to leave. Like I was a useless house elf." Sirius snapped, leaning closer to her. "I don't know what's going to happen, but I had to tell you. I had to let you know." He kissed her forehead. "I'm yours." He whispered again. Jane nodded, pulling him into a hug. Sirius Black had nothing left. Nothing from the 'noble' house he'd come from, but he had her. And she knew this was as close as he'd ever come to loving her, and it was just as close as she'd get to loving him back.

James smiled at the top of the stairs, eying the two figures. He was glad Sirius could tell someone. That pride of his was always in the way with him and Jane.


End file.
